Chapter XXIII.
The Fortress.
Kirkpatrick, Murray, and Scrymgeour hastened to their commander; and in
a few minutes all were under arms. Wallace briefly explained his
altered plan of assault, and marshaling his men accordingly, led them
in silence through the water, and along the beach, which lay between
the rock and the Leven. Arriving at the base just as the moon set,
they began to ascend. To do this in the dark redoubled the difficulty;
but as Wallace had the place of every accessible stone accurately
described to him by Edwin, he went confidently forward, followed by his
Lanarkmen.
He and they, being the first to mount, fixed and held the tops of the
scaling-ladders, while Kirkpatrick and Scrymgeour, with their men,
gradually ascended, and gained the bottom of the wall. Here, planting
themselves in the crannies of the rock, under the impenetrable darkness
of the night (for the moon had not only set, but the stars were
obscured by clouds), they awaited the signal for the final ascent.
Meanwhile, Edwin led Lord Andrew with his followers, and the Fraser
men, round by the western side to mount the watchtower rock, and seize
the few soldiers who kept the beacon.
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