Douglas, your house has been seldom to lack when the
crown of Scotland desired either wise counsel or manly achievement; I
trust you will help us in this strait."

"I can only wonder that the strait should exist, my lord," answered
the haughty Douglas. "When I was entrusted with the lieutenancy of
the kingdom, there were some of these wild clans came down from the
Grampians. I troubled not the council about the matter, but made the
sheriff, Lord Ruthven, get to horse with the forces of the Carse--the
Hays, the Lindsays, the Ogilvies, and other gentlemen. By St. Bride!
When it was steel coat to frieze mantle, the thieves knew what lances
were good for, and whether swords had edges or no. There were some
three hundred of their best bonnets, besides that of their chief, Donald
Cormac, left on the moor of Thorn and in Rochinroy Wood; and as many
were gibbeted at Houghmanstares, which has still the name from the
hangman work that was done there. This is the way men deal with thieves
in my country; and if gentler methods will succeed better with these
Earish knaves, do not blame Douglas for speaking his mind. You smile,
my Lord of Rothsay. May I ask how I have a second time become your jest,
before I have replied to the first which you passed on me?"

"Nay, be not wrathful, my good Lord of Douglas," answered the Prince; "I
did but smile to think how your princely retinue would dwindle if every
thief were dealt with as the poor Highlanders at Houghmanstares."

The King again interfered, to prevent the Earl from giving an angry
reply.

"Your lordship," said he to Douglas, "advises wisely that we should
trust to arms when these men come out against our subjects on the fair
and level plan; but the difficulty is to put a stop to their disorders
while they continue to lurk within their mountains. I need not tell
you that the Clan Chattan and the Clan Quhele are great confederacies,
consisting each of various tribes, who are banded together, each to
support their own separate league, and who of late have had dissensions
which have drawn blood wherever they have met, whether individually or
in bands. The whole country is torn to pieces by their restless feuds."

"I cannot see the evil of this," said the Douglas: "the ruffians will
destroy each other, and the deer of the Highlands will increase as
the men diminish. We shall gain as hunters the exercise we lose as
warriors."

"Rather say that the wolves will increase as the men