“I would choose the pike,” Nigel said, “for after all it must be by the pike that the battle is decided.”

“Quite right, Nigel.  I have here with me a drawing of the armour in use with us.  You see they have helmets of an acorn shape, with a rim turning up in front; gauntlets, buff coats well padded in front, and large breast plates.  The pikes vary from fourteen to eighteen feet long according to the taste of the commander.  We generally use about sixteen.  If your company is a hundred strong you will have two lieutenants and three ensigns.  Be careful in choosing your officers.  I will fill in the king’s commission to you as captain of the company, authorizing you to enlist men for his service and to appoint officers thereto.”

An hour or two later Colonel Munro and Captain Hume proceeded on their way.  The news speedily spread through Nithsdale that Nigel Graheme had received a commission from the King of Sweden to raise a company in his service, and very speedily men began to pour in.  The disbandment of the Scottish army had left but few careers open at home to the youth of that country, and very large numbers had consequently flocked to the Continent and taken service in one or other of the armies there, any opening of the sort, therefore, had only to be known to be freely embraced.  Consequently, in eight-and-forty hours Nigel Graheme had applications from a far larger number than he could accept, and he was enabled to pick and choose among the applicants.  Many young men of good family were among them, for in those days service in the ranks was regarded as honourable, and great numbers of young men of good family and education trailed a pike in the Scotch regiments in the service of the various powers of Europe.  Two young men whose property adjoined his own, Herries and Farquhar, each of whom brought twenty of his own tenants with him, were appointed lieutenants, while two others, Leslie and Jamieson, were with Malcolm named as ensigns.  The noncommissioned officers were appointed from men who had served before.  Many of the men already possessed armour which was suitable, for in those day’s there was no strict uniformity of military attire, and the armies of the various nationalities differed very slightly from each other.  Colonel Munro returned in the course of a fortnight, Nigel Graheme’s company completing the number of men required to fill up the ranks of his regiment.

Captain Hume had proceeded further north.  Colonel Munro stopped for a week in Nithsdale, giving instructions to the officers and noncommissioned officers as to the drill in use in the Swedish army.  Military manoeuvres were in these days very different to what they have now become.  The movements were few and simple, and easily acquired.  Gustavus had, however, introduced an entirely new formation into his army.  Hitherto troops had fought in solid masses, twenty or more deep.  Gustavus taught his men to fight six deep, maintaining that if troops