“That is because you have so much skill with your weapon, Sir Archie,” Douglas said.  “On horseback with mace or battleaxe it is mainly a question of sheer strength, and though you are very strong there are others who are as strong as you.  Now, it is allowed that none of the king’s knights and followers are as skilful as you with the sword, and even the king himself, who is regarded as the second best knight in Europe, owns that on foot and with a sword he has no chance against you.  That we all saw when you practiced for the amusement of the queen and her ladies in the mountains of Lennox.  None other could even touch you, while you dented all our helmets and armour finely with that sword of yours.  Had we continued the sport there would not have been a whole piece of armour among us save your own harness.”

Archie laughed.  “I suppose, Douglas, we all like best that in which we most excel.  There are many knights in the English army who would assuredly overthrow me either in the tilting ring or in the field, for I had not the training on horseback when quite young which is needed to make a perfect knight, while I had every advantage in the learning of sword playing, and I stick to my own trade.  The world is beginning to learn that a man on foot is a match for a horseman —­ Wallace taught Europe that lesson.  They are slow to believe it, for hitherto armed knights have deemed themselves invincible, and have held in contempt all foot soldiers.  Stirling, and Falkirk, and Loudon Hill have taught them the difference, but it will be a long time before they fairly own a fact so mortifying to chivalry; but the time will come, be well assured, when battles will be fought almost with infantry alone.  Upon them the brunt of the day will fall, and by them will victory be decided, while horsemen will be used principally for pursuing the foe when he is broken, for covering the retreat of infantry by desperate charges, or by charging into the midst of a fray when the infantry are broken.”

“All the better for Scotland,” James Douglas said, cheerfully.  “We are not a nation of horsemen, and our mountains and hills, our forests and morasses, are better adapted for infantry than cavalry; so if ever the change you predict come to pass we shall be gainers by it.”

At daybreak next morning Archie went down to the cove where his friend the fisherman kept his boat.  The old man and his two sons were already there, but had not launched their craft.

“I like not the look of the weather,” the fisherman said when Archie joined him.  “The sky is dull and heavy, the sea is black and sullen, but there is a sound in the waves as they break against the rocks which seems to tell of a coming storm.  I think, however, it will be some hours before it breaks, and if we have luck we may get a haul or two before it comes on.”

“I am ready to go or stay,” Archie said; “I have no experience in your weather here, and would not urge you against your own judgment, whatever it be; but if you put out I am ready to go with you.”