"
"And are you travelling to Carlisle, too?" the man said to Oswald.
"Nay," he said, "I purpose not going beyond the border. I have lost my
employment, and have tried, in vain, to find another as much to my
liking. I have come south to seek service, with one who will welcome a
strong arm to wield a sword."
"Hast tried the Douglas?"
"No," he said, "the Douglas has men enough of his own, and methinks I
should not care to be mewed up in one of his castles. I have had enough
of that already, seeing that I was a man-at-arms with George Dunbar,
till he turned traitor and went over to the English."
"You look a likely fellow; but, you know, we do not pay men, here, to
do our fighting for us. 'Tis all very well for great nobles, like
Dunbar and Douglas, to keep men always in arms, and ready to ride, at a
moment's notice, to carry fire and sword where they will. War is not
our business, save when there is trouble in the air, or mayhap we run
short of cattle or horses, and have to go and fetch them from across
the border. It is true that there are always a score or two of us up
there, for somehow the Bairds have enemies, but most of the followers
of the house live on their holdings, raise cattle and mountain sheep,
grow oats, and live as best they can.
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