He stood at the bottom, enveloped in the cloud which shrouded the
mountain, till all the men of the first division had cleared the
height; he then marshaled them with their pikes toward the foe, in case
of an alarm. But all remained quiet on that spot, although the sounds
of voices, both in song and laughter, intimated that the utmost
precaution was still necessary, as a wakeful and yet reveling part of
the enemy were not far distant.
"Wallace reascended the rock half way; and receiving the children,
which their trembling mothers lowered into this arms, he handed them to
the old men, who carried them safely through the bushes which obscured
the cave's mouth. The rest of our little garrison soon followed; then
our sentinels, receiving the signal that all were safe, drew silently
from their guard, and closed our march through the cavern.
"This effected, we blocked up its egressing mouth, that, should our
escape be discovered, the enemy might not find the direct road we had
taken.
"We pursued our course without stop or stay till we reached the
hospitable valleys of Stirlingshire. There some king shepherds gave
the woman and children temporary shelter; and Wallace, seeing that if
anything were to be done for Scotland, he must swell the host, put the
part under my guidance, giving me orders that when they were rested I
should march them to Glenfinlass, here to await his return.
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