Against Jacob, indeed, he could have no personal feeling, and it was by accident only that he was a sharer in Harry’s fate.  But as a witness of what had taken place, his life would assuredly be taken, as well as that of his companion.  As they walked along they gathered from the talk of their guards the distance which they had to go, and the place of their destination.  They had never heard of Kilbeg Castle, but as they had no enemies save Argyll, they knew that it must belong to one of his clan.  They spoke but little on the way.  Harry was wondering how the news of his disappearance would be received in the camp, and thinking of the dismay which it would occasion in the minds of Mike and William Long, when suddenly he heard a shout, and on the instant a fierce fight was raging around him.

Although taken completely by surprise, the sailors fought steadily.  But two were cut down before they could draw a sword, and the others, outmatched, were driven backward.  The leader of the party shouted again and again, “Kill the prisoners,” but he and each of his men were too hotly engaged with the adversaries who pressed them, to do more than defend their own lives.  In a minute the fray was rendered still more unequal by Harry and Jacob joining in it, and in less than three minutes from its commencement seven of the guards lay dead or dying upon the ground.  The other, an active young fellow, had taken to flight early in the fight, and was already beyond reach.

The contest over, there was a delighted greeting between the rescued prisoners and their friends.

“Come,” Leslie said, “we have not a moment to lose.  That fellow who has escaped will take the news to Kilbeg, and we shall be having its garrison at our heels.  He has but three miles to run, and they will beat to horse in a few minutes after he gets there.  We must strike across the hills, and had best make a great circuit by Stirling.  If we avoid the roads and towns they may not pick up our track.”

Their guide fortunately knew the country well, and leaving the path by which they had traveled, the party started on their return.  All day they tramped across the moorlands, avoiding all villages and scattered farmhouses.  They had, they knew, three-quarters of an hour’s start, and as their pursuers would be alike ignorant whence they came or whither they were going, the chances of their hitting the right route were small.

Making a circuit round Kinross and Alloa, where the Campbells might have ridden in pursuit, and sleeping in a wood, they arrived next day at Stirling.  Here was great excitement, for Cromwell’s army, marching south of Edinburgh, had approached the town.  They remained, however, a few hours only, collecting what pre visions they could, and then falling back again to their former camp at Musselburgh.  The following day Harry and his party marched to Edinburgh.  That night Harry reported to Sir David Leslie what had befallen him and the next morning he accompanied the general to Holyrood, and laid a complaint before the king.