se with a bit musket at your heels to learn ye how siccarly to sit
your beast.'

"Whereat he cried to wheel, and we went twos about down the Caldons
road. The farm sits four square on a knowe-tap, compact with
office-houses and mailings. There are the little three-cornered wickets
in the walls. As we came to the foot of the brae we found Gib Macaterick
stelled up against the dyke, with his hands bound and a paper in his
teeth--a printed copy of the Covenant. He was quite safe and sound. But
when we loosed him, he could do nothing but curse and splutter.

"'Thou foul-mouthed Whig,' cried Douglas, 'hast thou also been taking
the Covenant? Have him out and shoot him!'

"But Gib rose and made an end of the Covenant, by setting his foot upon
it and crushing it into the sod. Then we moved forward, carelessly,
thinking that the enemy would never stand against a troop, but that they
would at once scatter to the hill which rises steep and black at the
gavel end of the house.

"However, when we came within sight of the steading, half a dozen
muskets cracked, and one of our company cried out with the pain of being
hit. Indeed, the second volley tumbled more than one trooper from his
saddle, and caused their horses to break ranks and run back, jingling
accoutrements.

"So Colonel Douglas dismounted half his men, and sent the better part of
a troop, under the Cornet of the same name, round to the high side of
the farm to take the Conventiclers in flank. Which with all success they
did, and came down at the charge upon the steadings, capturing half a
dozen, mostly young lads, that were there with muskets in their hands.
But there was one that threw himself into the lake and swam under water
for it. And though our soldiers shot off a power of powder after him, we
could get no satisfaction that he had been hit. We heard, however, that
he was a Carsphairn man and that the name of him was Roger Dunn.

"So Douglas ordered a dismounted file to lead the young lads out into a
dell a quarter of a mile from the house, where the noise of the
shootings would not annoy him at his refreshment. So the Cornet took
them out, well-pleased. For it was a job that suited him better than
fighting, and there, in a little green hollow, he speedily laid the six
featly in a row.

"'So perish all his Majesty's rebels!' said Colonel Douglas as he rode
past, bung full of brandy and good mutton ham.

"'That's as bonny a kill o' Whigs as we hae gotten for