“Now,” Malcolm said, “I want the rest to bring mattocks and shovels and to accompany me along the road.  There is one spot which I marked as I came along as being specially suited for defence.”

This was about half a mile away, and as darkness had now set in the men lighted torches, and with their implements followed him.  At the spot which he had selected there was for the distance of a hundred yards a thick growth of underwood bordering the track on either side.  Across the road, at the end of the passage nearest to the farm, Malcolm directed ten of the men to dig a pit twelve feet wide and eight feet deep.  The rest of the men he set to work to cut nearly through the trunks of the trees standing nearest the road until they were ready to fall.

Ten trees were so treated, five on either side of the road.  Standing, as they did, among the undergrowth, the operation which had been performed on them was invisible to any one passing by.  Ropes were now fastened to the upper part of the trees and carried across the road, almost hidden from sight by the foliage which met over the path.  When the pit was completed the earth which had been taken from it was scattered in the wood out of sight.  Light boughs were then placed over the hole.  These were covered with earth and sods trampled down until the break in the road was not perceptible to a casual eye.

This was done by Malcolm himself, as the lightest of the party, the boughs sufficing to bear his weight, although they would give way at once beneath that of a horse.  The men all worked with vigour and alacrity as soon as they understood Malcolm’s plans.  Daylight was breaking when the preparations were completed.  Malcolm now divided the party, and told them off to their respective posts.  They were sixteen in all, excluding the pastor.

Eight were placed on each side of the road.  Those on one side were gathered near the pit which had been dug, those on the other were opposite to the tree which was farthest down the valley.  The freebooters were to be allowed to pass along until the foremost fell into the pit.  The men stationed there were at once to haul upon the rope attached to the tree near it and to bring it down.  Its fall would bar the road and prevent the horsemen from leaping the pit.  Those in the rear were, if they heard the crash before the last of the marauders had passed through, to wait until they had closed up, which they were sure to do when the obstacle was reached, and then to fell the tree to bar their retreat.

The instant this was done both parties were to run to other ropes and to bring down the trees upon the horsemen gathered on the road, and were then to fall upon them with axe, pike, and arquebus.

“If it works as well as I expect,” Malcolm said, “not one of them will escape from the trap.”

Soon after daybreak bowls of milk and trays of bread and meat were brought down to the workers by some of the women.  As there was no immediate expectation of attack, the farmer himself, with the pastor, went back to the village to cheer the women before their departure.