se. If it's hard to pass a river, it stands to reason it
must be worse to pass a sea."

"But there's such a thing as a boat," says Alan, "or I'm the more
deceived."

"Ay, and such a thing as money," says I. "But for us that have neither
one nor other, they might just as well not have been invented."

"Ye think so?" said Alan.

"I do that," said I.

"David," says he, "ye're a man of small invention and less faith. But
let me set my wits upon the hone, and if I canna beg, borrow, nor yet
steal a boat, I'll make one!"

"I think I see ye!" said I. "And what's more than all that: if ye pass a
bridge, it can tell no tales; but if we pass the firth, there's the boat
on the wrong side--somebody must have brought it--the countryside will
all be in a bizz----"

"Man!" cried Alan, "if I make a boat, I'll make a body to take it back
again! So deave me with no more of your nonsense, but walk (for that's
what you've got to do)--and let Alan think for ye."

All night, then, we walked through the north side of the Carse, under
the high line of the Ochil mountains; and by Alloa and Clackmannan and
Culross, all of which we avoided: and about ten in the morning, mighty
hungry and tired, came to the little clachan of Limekilns. This is a
place that sits near in by the waterside and looks across the Hope to
the town of the Queen's Ferry. Smoke went up from both of these and from
other villages and farms upon all hands. The fields were being reaped;
two ships lay anchored, and boats were coming and going on the Hope. It
was altogether a right pleasant sight to me; and I could not take my
fill of gazing at these comfortable, green, cultivated hills and the
busy people both of the field and sea.

For all that, there was Mr. Rankeillor's house on the south shore, where
I had no doubt wealth awaited me; and here was I upon the north, clad in
poor enough attire of an outlandish fashion, with three silver shillings
left to me of all my fortune, a price set upon my head, and an outlawed
man for my sole company.

"O Alan!" said I, "to think of it! Over there, there's all that heart
could want waiting me; and the birds go over, and the boats go over--all
that please can go, but just me only! O, man, but it's a heart-break!"

In Limekilns we entered a small change-house, which we only knew to be a
public by the wand over the door, and bought some bread and cheese from
a good-looking lass that was the servant. This we carried with us in a