revent our escape. I now, indeed,
think, that the pistol which was snapped at Malcolm, had only powder in
the pan, to intimidate. After consulting for some time on the best means
of extricating ourselves from the necessity of passing the night on the
exposed beach, we agreed to proceed inland, at any risk, whether of
falls or a ducking, in quest of a roof to cover us. Before we left, I
groped the face of my watch--to see it was impossible, the night was so
dark. I found the hands to indicate half-past ten; so we had thus been
four hours in the hands of our captors.

Stumbling or falling at every few steps, we now proceeded slowly on.
Malcolm, who preceded me, once or twice plunged into quagmires, through
which I followed, until I was almost spent. At length a faint light, at
some distance, caught our eyes. Onwards we urged, until we could
distinguish a cottage, from whose small window the light proceeded.
After scrambling over a low, loose stone wall, we found ourselves in the
cottage garden. I looked in at the window, and could perceive a man and
two women--one old, the other young--seated by the fire. There was no
other light of any kind burning; and the dull ray of the fire gave to
the interior a gloomy appearance, save where it fell on the three
individuals who sat crouching before it. There being no door on the side
we were on, we walked to the front, and knocked for admittance. This
side of the cottage gave no indication of any light being within--the
window being carefully closed. For some time we knocked in vain--no
answer was made. At length, our knockings were answered by a female
voice--

"What want ye here at this time o' nicht, disturbing a lone woman?"

"My good woman," I replied, "we are strangers, who know not where we
are. Be so kind as open the door to us."

"Gae 'wa--gae 'wa; I will do nae sic thing; I hae nae uppitting for ye."

"My good woman," said I, in the most soothing manner I could, "do, for
charity, open the door. We are like to perish from fatigue, and can
proceed no further. You shall be paid whatever you ask for any
accommodation you can afford, were it only to sit by your fire until
daybreak."

After some time spent in entreaties, the door was cautiously opened by
a female, who held a small lamp in her hand, and we were ushered into a
small apartment--not the same we had seen, but a dark and uncomfortable
place. She appeared to be greatly alarmed, and requested us not to make
any n