A solitary light which twinkled through the darkness guided him to a small hovel.

The inmates spoke no tongue but the Gaelic, and were at first scared by the appearance of uniforms and arms.

But Mackay's gentle manner removed their apprehension: their language had been familiar to him in childhood; and he retained enough of it to communicate with them.

By their directions, and by the help of a pocket map, in which the routes through that wild country were roughly laid down, he was able to find his way.

He marched all night.