Archie had a long consultation with his two young lieutenants, whose fathers’ cottages had with the others been destroyed.

“What we have to do,” Archie said, “we must do alone.  Sir William has ample employment for his men, and I cannot ask him to weaken his force to aid me in a private broil; nor, indeed, would any aid short of his whole band be of use, seeing that the Kerrs can put three hundred retainers in the field.  It is not by open force that we must fight them, but by fire and harassment.  Fighting is out of the question; but we can do him some damage without giving him a chance of striking a blow at us.  As he has lighted Glen Cairn, so shall he see fires blazing round his own castle of Aberfilly.  We will not retaliate by hanging his crofters and vassals; but if he or any of his men-at-arms falls into our hands, we will have blood for blood.”

In the course of the afternoon Archie saw his chief and begged leave to take his troop away for some time, telling Sir William of the cruel treatment which the Kerrs had dealt at Glen Cairn, and his determination to retaliate for the deed.

“Aberfilly is a strong castle, Archie,” Wallace said; “at least so people say, for I have never seen it, so far does it lie removed from the main roads.  But unless by stratagem, I doubt if my force is strong enough to capture it; nor would I attack were I sure of capturing it without the loss of a man.  The nobles and landowners stand aloof from me; but it may be that after I have wrested some more strong places from the English, they may join me.  But I would not on any account war against one of them now.  Half the great families are united by ties of blood or marriage.  The Kerrs, we know, are related to the Comyns and other powerful families; and did I lift a hand against them, adieu to my chance of being joined by the great nobles.  No; openly hostile as many of them are, I must let them go their way, and confine my efforts to attacking their friends the English.  Then they will have no excuse of personal feud for taking side against the cause of Scotland.  But this does not apply to you.  Everyone knows that there has long been a blood feud between the Forbeses and the Kerrs, and any damage you may do them will be counted as a private feud.  I think it is a rash adventure that you are undertaking with but a handful of boys, although it is true that a boy can fire a roof or drive off a bullock as well as a man.  However, this I will promise you, that if you should get into any scrape I will come with what speed I can to your rescue, even if it embroil me with half the nobles of Scotland.  You embroiled yourself with all the power of England in my behalf, and you will not find me slack in the hour of need.  But if I join in the fray it is to rescue my friend Archie Forbes, and not to war against John Kerr, the ally of the English, and my own enemy.”

Archie warmly thanked his leader, but assured him that he had no thought of placing himself in any great peril.