th or common; but it was far from level, exhibiting
in many places hollows filled with furze and broom; in others little
dingles of stunted brushwood. A thicket of the latter description
crowned the hill up which the party ascended. The foremost of the band,
being the stoutest and most active, had pushed on, and having surmounted
the ascent, were out of ken for the present. Gilfillan, with the pedlar,
and the small party who were Waverley's more immediate guard, were
near the top of the ascent, and the remainder straggled after them at a
considerable interval.

Such was the situation of matters, when the pedlar, missing, as he said,
a little doggie which belonged to him, began to halt and whistle for the
animal. This signal, repeated more than once, gave offence to the rigour
of his companion, the rather because it appeared to indicate inattention
to the treasures of theological and controversial knowledge which was
pouring out for his edification. He therefore signified gruffly, that he
could not waste his time in waiting for a useless cur.

'But if your honour wad consider the case of Tobit'--

'Tobit!' exclaimed Gilfillan, with great heat; 'Tobit and his dog baith
are altogether heathenish and apocryphal, and none but a prelatist or
a papist would draw them into question. I doubt I hae been mista'en in
you, friend.'

'Very likely,' answered the pedlar, with great composure; 'but
ne'ertheless, I shall take leave to whistle again upon puir Bawty,'

This last signal was answered in an unexpected manner; for six or eight
stout Highlanders, who lurked among the copse and brushwood, sprang
into the hollow way, and began to lay about them with their claymores.
Gilfillan, un-appalled at this undesirable apparition, cried out
manfully, 'The sword of the Lord and of Gideon!' and, drawing his
broadsword, would probably have done as much credit to the good old
cause as any of its doughty champions at Drumclog, when, behold! the
pedlar, snatching a musket from the person who was next him, bestowed
the butt of it with such emphasis on the head of his late instructor in
the Cameronian creed, that he was forthwith levelled to the ground. In
the confusion which ensued, the horse which bore our hero was shot
by one of Gilfillan's party, as he discharged his firelock at random.
Waverley fell with, and indeed under, the animal, and sustained some
severe contusions. But he was almost instantly extricated from the
fallen steed by two