the twa
craturs; yet, were it no for your case, my Lord, I could wish the law
reversed. I wad be in nae hurry stealing ane o' thae cummers, at least
for my ain use; and, as for Peggy, she would rather see a cow at
Gilnockie ony day."

"Weel, Will," said his Lordship, "I do not ask thee to steal for me old
Leddie Gibson. I dare not. You understand me; but I am to save your
life; and I tell thee that, if that big-wigged personage be not, within
ten days, safely lodged in Graeme's Tower, my lands of Coberston will
find a new proprietor, and your benefactor will be made a lordly
beggar."

"Fear not, my Lord," replied Will. "I'm nae suner out than she's in.
She'll no say a word against Coberston for the next three months, I
warrant ye. But, by my faith, it's as teuch a job as boilin' auld Soulis
in the cauldron at the Skelfhill; and I hae nae black spae-book like
Thomas to help my spell. Yet, after a', my Lord, what spell is like the
wit o' man, when he has courage to act up to 't!"

The Warden acknowledged the truth of Will's heroic sentiment; and,
having satisfied himself that the bold riever would perform his promise,
he departed, and in two days afterwards the prisoner was liberated, and
on his way to his residence at the Hollows. It was apparent, from Will's
part of the dialogue, that he had some knowledge of the object the Lord
Warden had in view in carrying off a Lord of Session from the middle of
the capital; yet it is doubtful if he troubled himself with more than
the fact of its being the wish of his benefactor that the learned judge
should be for a time confined in Graeme's Tower; and, conforming to a
private hint of his Lordship before he departed from the jail, he kept
up in his wife Margaret's mind the delusion that it was truly "an auld
lurdon" whom he was to steal, as a condition for getting out of prison.
On the morning after his arrival at Gilnockie, Will held a consultation
with two tried friends, whose assistance he required in this most
extraordinary of all the rieving expeditions he had ever yet been
engaged in; and the result of their long sederunt was, that, within two
hours after, the three were mounted on as many prancing Galloways, and
with a fourth led by a bridle, and carrying their provisions, a large
cloak, and some other articles. They took the least frequented road to
the metropolis of Scotland. Having arrived there, they put up their
horses at a small hostelry in the Grassmarket; and, nex