216 A JACOBITE EXILE

own, and at any rate as long as we were in the forest there
was no fear of wanting food. So I see some of our com-
rades have left us.”

“We can do very well without them, captain. There
were thirty of us here two days ago. Essos and Polinski
quarrelled, and Essos was killed. Then Polinski wanted
us to elect him captain, and to move away at once. Four
or five who have always been grumblers joined him at once,
and persuaded some of the others till we were about equally
divided. It came pretty nearly to a fight; but neither liked
to begin, and they moved away.”

“There are quite enough of us left,” Ladislas said. “As
to Essos and Polinski, I am heartily glad that they have
gone. I know they have both been scheming for the
leadership for some time. Most of the others can be very
well spared too. ‘There are plenty of us here for travel.
There is no doubt, as we agreed before starting, that there
is not much more to be done in this part of the country.
What with the civil wars and the bands of soldiers without
a leader, and others like ourselves who do not mean to
starve, the peasants have been wrought up into a state of
desperation. They have little left to lose, but what they
have got they are ready to fight to the death for, and lately
at the first alarm they have sounded the bells and assembled
for miles round, and, equipped with scythes and _ flails,
routed those who meddled with them. We had more than
one hot fight, and lost many good men. Besides, many of
the nobles who have suffered have turned out with their
followers and struck heavy blows at some of the bands; so
that the sooner we get out of this countiy, which is becom-
ing a nest of hornets, the better, for there is little booty and
plenty of hard blows to be got.

“We will go on as we agreed till near the eastern frontier,
The country is well covered with forest there, and we can
sally out on which side we like, for if there is not much