ir red
cloaks, coming frae a field preaching, than such a souple lad as I was.
Accordingly, they soon began to stop and load their pieces. Good-e'en to
you, gentlemen, thought I, if that is to be the gate of it. If you have
any further word with me, you maun come as far as Carriefraw-gauns. And
so off I set, and never buck went faster ower the braes than I did; and
I never stopped till I had put three waters, reasonably deep, as the
season was rainy, half a dozen mountains, and a few thousand acres
of the worst moss and ling in Scotland, betwixt me and my friends the
redcoats.'

'It was that job which got you the name of Pate-in-Peril,' said the
provost, filling the glasses, and exclaiming with great emphasis,
while his guest, much animated with the recollections which the
exploit excited, looked round with an air of triumph for sympathy and
applause,--'Here is to your good health; and may you never put your neck
in such a venture again.' [The escape of a Jacobite gentleman while on
the road to Carlisle to take his trial for his share in the affair of
1745, took place at Errickstane-brae, in the singular manner ascribed to
the Laird of Summertrees in the text. The author has seen in his youth
the gentleman to whom the adventure actually happened. The distance of
time makes some indistinctness of recollection, but it is believed the
real name was MacEwen or MacMillan.]

'Humph!--I do not know,' answered Summertrees. 'I am not like to be
tempted with another opportunity--[An old gentleman of the author's name
was engaged in the affair of 1715, and with some difficulty was saved
from the gallows by the intercession of the Duchess of Buccleugh and
Monmouth. Her Grace, who maintained a good deal of authority over her
clan, sent for the object of her intercession, and warning him of the
risk which he had run, and the trouble she had taken on his account,
wound up her lecture by intimating that in case of such disloyalty
again, he was not to expect her interest in his favour. 'An it please
your Grace,' said the stout old Tory, 'I fear I am too old to see
another opportunity.'] Yet who knows?' And then he made a deep pause.

'May I ask what became of your friend, sir?' said Alan Fairford.

'Ah, poor Harry!' said Summertrees. 'I'll tell you what, sir, it takes
time to make up one's mind to such a venture, as my friend the provost
calls it; and I was told by Neil Maclean,--who was next file to us,
but had the luck to escape t