atna grand ploy it wad be gin this yin were to die as
weel!' That was what my mither said."

"And did he die?" I asked.

Gash Gibbie moved his shoulders, and made a kind of _nichering_ laugh to
himself, like a young horse whinnying for its corn.

"Na, he was ower cunning for my minnie, him. He wadna bide here, and
when my minnie gaed to him with the guid kail broo and the braxy sooming
amang it, says the second hefter, 'I'm no' that hungry the day,
mistress; I'll gie the hoodie craws a drap drink o't!'

"And so he did, and as fast as the craws got twa fills o' their nebs,
they keeled ower on their backs, drew in their taes three times, cried
_kraigh_, and tumbled heels up, as stiff as Methusala! Richt curious,
was it na? She is a wonnerfu' woman, my mither!"

The thunder clouds which had been forming all through the heat of the
afternoon, began to roar far away by Loch Doon, and as the place and the
talk did not conduce to pleasant thoughts, I rose to go.

"What's your hurry?" cried Gash Gibbie, swinging himself round to my
side of the fire, and lifting himself on his hands like a man that has
no feet. "My minnie will no' be here till the mornin', and then we'll
hae company belike. For she's gane to warn Mardrochat to send the
sodgers to the twa run-awa' lassies up at the bit bouroch on the Meaull
o' Garryhorn."

"To bring the soldiers?" I said, for the words made me suddenly afraid.

"Aye," said the natural, looking cunningly at me, "an' Gash Gibbie wad
hae warned the bits o' lassies. But he's ower gruesome a tyke to be
welcome guest in lady's bower. But Gibbie wishes the lassies no harm.
They are clever, well-busked hizzies."

"I wonder if there are any more wanderers in hiding hereabouts," said I,
thinking in my transparent guile to find out whether the Cove Macaterick
were also known.

"Na, na, nane nearer than the Caldons in the Howe o' Trool. There's some
o' Peden's folk there that my mither has put her spite on--but nane
nearer."

The thunder and lightning was just coming on, as I passed the ring of
cats in the outer darkness of the hut, and looked out. "Good night to
ye, Gibbie," said I, "and thank ye kindly for your crack and the warming
I hae gotten before the fire!"

"Guid-e'en to yoursel', bonny laddie, an' a guid journey to ye. It's
gaun to be a coorse nicht, and Gibbie maun gang awa' ower the heather to
see gin his bonny mither doesna' miss the road hame!"

CHAPTER XLII.

THE NICK O