ur!" But he was
sorry to lose a fellow-conspirator. "There's just the twa o' us now," he
sighed.

"Just twa!" cried Tommy. "What are you havering about, man? There's as
many as I like to whistle for."

"You mean Grizel and Elspeth, I ken, but--"

"I wasna thinking of the womenfolk," Tommy told him, with a
contemptuous wave of the hand. He went closer to Corp, and said, in a
low voice, "The McKenzies are waiting!"

"Are they, though?" said Corp, perplexed, as he had no notion who the
McKenzies might be.

"And Lochiel has twa hunder spearsmen."

"Do you say so?"

"Young Kinnordy's ettling to come out, and I meet Lord Airlie, when the
moon rises, at the Loups o' Kenny, and auld Bradwardine's as spunky as
ever, and there's fifty wild Highlandmen lying ready in the muckle cave
of Clova."

He spoke so earnestly that Corp could only ejaculate, "Michty me!"

"But of course they winna rise," continued Tommy, darkly, "till he
lands."

"Of course no," said Corp, "but--wha is he?"

"Himsel'," whispered Tommy, "the Chevalier!"

Corp hesitated. "But, I thought," he said diffidently, "I thought you--"

"So I am," said Tommy.

"But you said he hadna landed yet?"

"Neither he has."

"But you--"

"Well?"

"You're here, are you no?"

Tommy stamped his foot in irritation. "You're slow in the uptak," he
said. "I'm no here. How can I be here when I'm at St. Germains?"

"Dinna be angry wi' me," Corp begged. "I ken you're ower the water, but
when I see you, I kind of forget; and just for the minute I think you're
here."

"Well, think afore you speak."

"I'll try, but that's teuch work. When do you come to Scotland?"

"I'm no sure; but as soon as I'm ripe."

At nights Tommy now sometimes lay among the cabbages of the school-house
watching the shadow of Black Cathro on his sitting-room blind. Cathro
never knew he was there. The reason Tommy lay among the cabbages was
that there was a price upon his head.

"But if Black Cathro wanted to get the blood-money," Corp said
apologetically, "he could nab you any day. He kens you fine."

Tommy smiled meaningly. "Not him," he answered, "I've cheated him bonny,
he hasna a notion wha I am. Corp, would you like a good laugh?"

"That I would."

"Weel, then, I'll tell you wha he thinks I am. Do you ken a little house
yont the road a bitty irae Monypenny?"

"I ken no sic house," said Corp, "except Aaron's."

"Aaron's the man as bides in it," Tommy continued hastily, "at