!" he said, giving his fingers a snap, "a fig for your
Preevies--Donald Dhu wull hae small notion o' Preevy Cooncils on Ben
Muick. Gin Preevies come to veesit Donald Dhu on Spey side, it's just
hursel that wull be the prood man to see the Preevies--aye, or you
yersel' either, John Graham!"

Thus much Donald Dhu, and he was a good man and died linking down the
brae with his men true, behind John Graham at Killiecrankie in the
fulness of time--which was better work than, as he said, "pluff-pluffin'
poother at puir lawlan tykes."

But when Westerhall saw that the Highland birses were up, and that he
would in no wise obey orders, he ordered some of his own scoundrels to
do the thing. For his black heart was set on the shooting of the lad.

Then I could endure no longer, but ran forward as if to save him, crying
out to them that he was innocent, and but a lad at any rate, which
mightily angered Westerhall.

"Stell up the yae rebel whelp beside the other!" he said; and I believe
that had we been alone with the Annandale men, they would have done it.

But Clavers said: "Let be! Take away young Earlstoun to the knowe-tap!"

So they led me off, fairly girning with anger and impotence. For once I
longed for Sandy's brute strength to charge at them like a bull with the
head down.

"Lochinvar!" I cried, as they forced me away. "To me, Lochinvar!"

But, alas! my cousin was off on some of his own ploys, and came not till
too late. As you shall hear.

Then when the men were in rank to fire, Westerhall bid Andrew Herries
draw down his blue bonnet over his eyes. But he was a lad of most
undaunted courage, and though he had come so meekly to the slaughter,
now he spoke out boldly enough.

"I wad raither dee," he said, "in the face o' a' men and the plain licht
o' God. I hae dune nocht to make me shamed afore my death-bringers.
Though, being but young, I hae but little testimony to gie, an' nae
great experience o' religion to speak aboot. The end has come ower quick
on me for that!"

Then they asked him, as was their custom, if he had aught to say before
sentence should take effect upon him.

"Nocht in particular," he said, "but there's a book here (and he pulled
a little Bible out of his breast) that you an' me will be judged by. I
wish I had read mair earnestly in it an' profited better by it. But at
ony rate I aye carried it to read at the herdin', and my time has been
cut short."

"Make haste," they said, "we haena tim