Our business is to execute those commands bravely and promptly." Dundee answered with calm magnanimity that there was much weight in what his friend Sir Ewan had urged, but that no general could effect any thing great without possessing the confidence of his men.

"I must establish my character for courage.

Your people expect to see their leaders in the thickest of the battle; and to day they shall see me there.

I promise you, on my honour, that in future fights I will take more care of myself." Meanwhile a fire of musketry was kept up on both sides, but more skilfully and more steadily by the regular soldiers than by the mountaineers.

The space between the armies was one cloud of smoke.