earing the
conversation of his prisoners, or, if he pleased, of visiting them in
disguise, an experiment which had terminated so unpleasantly on the
present occasion for Gillespie Grumach. Having examined previously
whether there was any one in the apartment, and finding the coast clear,
the Captain entered, and hastily possessing himself of a blank passport,
several of which lay on the table, and of writing materials, securing,
at the same time, the Marquis's dagger, and a silk cord from the
hangings, he again descended into the cavern, where, listening a moment
at the door, he could hear the half-stifled voice of the Marquis making
great proffers to MacEagh, on condition he would suffer him to give an
alarm.

"Not for a forest of deer--not for a thousand head of cattle," answered
the freebooter; "not for all the lands that ever called a son of
Diarmid master, will I break the troth I have plighted to him of the
iron-garment!"

"He of the iron-garment," said Dalgetty, entering, "is bounden unto you,
MacEagh, and this noble lord shall be bounden also; but first he must
fill up this passport with the names of Major Dugald Dalgetty and his
guide, or he is like to have a passport to another world."

The Marquis subscribed, and wrote, by the light of the dark lantern, as
the soldier prescribed to him.

"And now, Ranald," said Dalgetty, "strip thy upper garment--thy plaid
I mean, Ranald, and in it will I muffle the M'Callum More, and make of
him, for the time, a Child of the Mist;--Nay, I must bring it over your
head, my lord, so as to secure us against your mistimed clamour.--So,
now he is sufficiently muffled;--hold down your hands, or, by Heaven,
I will stab you to the heart with your own dagger!--nay, you shall be
bound with nothing less than silk, as your quality deserves.--So, now
he is secure till some one comes to relieve him. If he ordered us a late
dinner, Ranald, he is like to be the sufferer;--at what hour, my good
Ranald, did the jailor usually appear?"

"Never till the sun was beneath the western wave," said MacEagh. "Then,
my friend, we shall have three hours good," said the cautious Captain.
"In the meantime, let us labour for your liberation."

To examine Ranald's chain was the next occupation. It was undone by
means of one of the keys which hung behind the private door, probably
deposited there, that the Marquis might, if he pleased, dismiss a
prisoner, or remove him elsewhere without the necessity o