her's
retainers were growing discontented with their quiet life, and scanty
fare, for beef was not so plentiful at Harden now that Border law
forbade its being stolen from England; so, without telling either his
father or his brothers of his intention, he took a band of chosen men,
and rode over, in the gray light of an early spring morning, to the
house of William Hogg of Fauldshope, one of the chief retainers of the
family.

William was a man of great bravery, and so fierce and strong that he had
earned for himself the name of the "Wild Boar of Fauldshope."

He was still in bed when the party from Harden arrived, but rose hastily
when they knocked. Great was his astonishment when he saw his young
master with a band of armed men behind him.

"What cheer, Master?" he said, "and what doest thou out at this time of
day? Faith, it minds me of the good old times, when some rider would
come in haste to my door, to tell me that Auld Buccleuch had given
orders to warn the water."[3]

[Footnote 3: To call the countrymen to arms.]

"Heaven send that those times come back again," said young Harden
piously, "else shall we soon be turned into a pack of old wives. The
changes that have come to Harden be more than I can stand, Willie. Not
so many years past we were aye as busy as a swarm of bees. When we had a
mind, and had nought else to do, we leaped on our horses and headed
towards Cumberland. There were ever some kine to be driven, or a house
or two to be burned, or some poor widow to be avenged, or some prisoner
to be released. So things went right merrily, and the larder was always
full. But now that this cursed peace hath come, and King Jamie reigns in
London--plague on the man for leaving this bonnie land!--the place is as
quiet as the grave, and the horses grow fat, and our men grow lean, and
they quarrel and fight among themselves all day, an' all because they
have nought else to do. Moreover, the pastures round Harden grow rough
for want of eating. We need a drove of cattle to keep them down. So I
have e'en come over to take counsel with thee, Will, for thou art a man
after mine own heart, and I have brought a few of the knaves at my back.
What think ye, man, is there no one we could rob? Fain would I ride over
the Border to harry the men of Cumberland, but thou knowest how it is.
My kinsman of Buccleuch is Warden of the Marches, and responsible for
keeping the peace, and sore dule and woe would come to my father's