Page:Scott - Tales of my Landlord - 3rd series, vol. 4 - 1819.djvu/157

 of his own mantle, and substituted that of a female, by which the Captain held stoutly, thereby securing, as he conceived, the outlaw's attention to the military instructions which he continued to pour forth while he had any breath to utter them, though they became gradually more and more incoherent—"and, comrade, you will be sure to keep your musqueteers in advance of your stand of pikes, Lochaber-axes, and two handed swords—Stand fast, dragoons, on the left flank!—where was I?—Aye, and, Ranald, if ye be minded to retreat, leave some lighted matches burning on the branches of the trees—it shews as if they were lined with shot—but I forget—ye have no matchlocks nor habergeons—only bows and arrows—bows and arrows! ha! ha! ha!"

Here the Captain sunk back in an exhausted condition, altogether unable to resist the sense of the ludicrous with the idea of these ancient weapons of war. It was a long time ere he recovered his senses; and in the