"
"It was not only us," Oswald replied. "There were some of the Liddels,
and the Hopes, and other families, engaged. My father was chosen as
chief; but this time it was not our quarrel, but theirs, for we had
lost no cattle, and my father only joined because they had aided us
last time, and he could not hold back now. Of course, he was chosen as
chief because he knows the country so well."
"Well, come in, Oswald. It is poor hospitality to keep you talking
here, outside the door."
A boy had already taken charge of Oswald's horse and, after unstrapping
his valise, had led it to a stable that formed the basement of the
house.
"Well, laddie, how fares it with you, at home?" Adam Armstrong said,
heartily, as they mounted the steps to the main entrance. "We have
heard of your wild doings with the Bairds. 'Tis a pity that these feuds
should go on, from father to son, ever getting more and more bitter.
But there, we can no more change a borderer's nature than you can stop
the tide in the Solway. I hear that it was well nigh a pitched battle."
"There was hard fighting," Oswald replied. "Three of our troopers, and
eight or ten of the others were killed. My father was twice wounded,
one of the Hopes was killed, and a Liddel severely wounded.
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