“Then, if this be indeed so,” said Sir Piers, “methinks it is now our place to be following under the banner of our sovereign.  Too long have we already delayed.  To your ships, Kenric!  To your ships this very hour!  Muster your men and let us at once hasten over to Cunningham, for, if I mistake not, King Alexander must even now be marching to the coast.  ’Tis but small help that we can offer, but let it not be said that we shirked our duty in the hour of Scotland’s need.”

“Go, Sir Allan,” said Kenric, “hasten to the headland of Garroch and there blow me on your horn the call to arms.  Not long will our men be in answering that summons.

“And now, Sir Piers, to you do I resign the command of our forces.  Give us your directions and we will promptly obey.”

“Let every man who can draw a longbow, or wield pike or sword, be sent upon the ships,” said the knight.  “At noon, when the tide is at the half flood, we set sail for Gourock.”

“Gourock?”

“Even so.  The bay of Gourock is our best shelter, and thence we can march southward towards Largs, or to whatsoever spot the enemy determine to make their landing place.”

“’Tis well,” said Kenric.

“And furnish me with the best horse you can find,” added Sir Piers, “for ’tis on horseback that I would fight.”

So at noon that day seven galleys hove anchor in the bay of Kilchattan, with each a company of seven score men; in all a thousand gallant islanders sailed that day from Bute.  Creeping up the shores of the island, past Kerrycroy and Ascog, they steered across by Toward Point.  And by this time the fleet of King Hakon had disappeared into the channel that flows between the two Cumbrae islands.

As Kenric’s ships crossed the Clyde a drizzling rain came on, and the wind began to blow in fitful gusts from the southwest.  But they reached the safe harbour of Gourock without mishap, and there cast anchor.

That night the half moon that shone dimly through the scudding clouds lay on her back, with a great circle of light around her, betokening stormy weather.

The next morning, which was the 1st of October, was cold and windy.  Sir Piers ordered his troops ashore, leaving but a few shipmen to watch the galleys.  Landing amidst a shower of heavy hail he was met by a party of mounted Scots clad in complete mail, who told him that King Alexander had already started from Lanark with fifteen hundred mounted men-at-arms.

Sir Piers marshalled his islanders in order and gave the word to march, and ever as they moved southward they were joined by the villagers and parties of sturdy fighting men.