“Zounds, man! do you think I would deceive you?” cried the brigadier. “I tell you that in England you will get plenty to eat and drink--plenty of plunder--whereas in Scotland you have nothing but starvation to expect. Now choose! Will you follow me, who have led you on thus far triumphantly, and will lead you on to further conquest--or desert me, when I most need your services, for one who has neither the will nor the power to reward you?” “We will follow you, brigadier,” shouted the majority of the men. “Take us where you will.” “I will first take you where each of you can get a mutchkin of whisky to drink the king's health. You will then prepare to march to Langholm, on the road to Long-town!” After resting for the night at Langholm, where they had some difficulty in finding quarters, the insurgents continued their march next day, uncertain whether they should proceed to Langholm or Ecclefechan, when a decision was unexpectedly brought about. VII.--LORD WIDDRINGTON RETURNS FROM LANCASHIRE. |While crossing a wide moor, they perceived a party of horsemen coming towards them, and understood from the shouts of these persons that they must be friends. On a nearer approach the insurgents discovered that the leader of the party was Lord Widdrington. He had just returned from his visit to Lancashire, and had brought with him a very important document, which he was extremely anxious to show to the leaders of the expedition, as it could not fail to govern their future plans. Upon this, a general halt was called, and the commanders and officers having assembled, Lord Widdrington read his paper to them. It was to the effect, that if the combined forces of the Scottish Lowlanders and Highlanders, who had risen for King James the Third, would direct their march to Lancashire, the High Church Tories of Manchester and the neighbourhood, and the whole of the Roman Catholic gentry of Lancashire and Cheshire, would rise in a mass, and join them with an army of twenty thousand men. “Twenty thousand men!” exclaimed Lord Kenmure. “Are you certain of this, my lord?” “I am certain that our appearance in Lancashire will be the signal of a general rising,” replied Lord Widdrington. “There is a very strong Jacobite feeling throughout the county. But the inhabitants will not rise till we appear.” “Then we must go to Lancashire,” said Lord Kenmure. “In three days we shall be in the heart of the county,” said General Forster.