Nothing occurred to indicate that the enemy were on the move till he came within a couple of miles of Kirk-Yetholm, when from the brow of a hill he distinguished their vanguard, and at once comprehended that a part of the force, if not the whole, must be marching to Kelso.
Satisfied with what he had seen, and beginning to be of opinion that General Carpenter would not have been so easily surprised as he imagined, he turned back, and riding quickly, overtook the insurgent army before it reached Hawick.
It afterwards appeared that the earl had narrowly escaped capture, and that he and his companions were indebted for their escape to the swiftness of their horses. Had he descended the hill whence he descried the enemy, he must have been taken prisoner.
VI.—THE HIGHLANDERS REFUSE TO CROSS THE BORDER.
Next day symptoms of revolt began to appear among the Highlanders, who had been told by Lord Wintoun that if they went to England they would infallibly be defeated by the superior force brought against them, and would either be cut to pieces, taken prisoners and hanged, or sold as slaves to the plantations.
Assembling on the Moot Hill, at the head of the town, they refused to come down, even at the orders of their chief, and told him if they were led against the enemy they would fight, but that they would not cross the Border.
“Wherefore not?” he cried. “Why the devil are you afraid to fight the Southrons on their aim ground? You are ready to meet them here, but not south of the Solway Firth. Your pay is assured you, and it will be your ain faut if ye dinna double it.”
“But they tell us we shall never come back,” rejoined the sergeant, who acted as spokesman.