back
reporting (what we had been very careful of) that every door was barred.

"Then," said the gentleman, "well try a bland knock, and if need be,
force the main door."

He was standing now in a half dusk, clear of the light of the windows,
with a foot on the step of the door; behind him gathered the MacDonalds
with their weapons ready, and I dare say, could we have seen it, with
no very pretty look on their faces. As he spoke, he put his hand on the
hasp, and, to his surprise, the heavy door was open. We had taken good
care of that too.

The band gathered themselves together and dived into the place, and
the plaiding of the last of them had scarcely got inside the door than
Stewart ran up with the key and turned the lock, with a low whistle for
the guidance of M'Iver at the inner door. In a minute or less, John was
round in our midst again with his share of the contract done, and our
rats were squealing in their trap.

For a little there was nothing but crying and cursing, wild beating
against the door, vain attack on the windows, a fury so futile that it
was sweet to us outsiders, and we forgot the storm and the hardship.

At last M'Iver rapped on the door and demanded attention.

"Is there any one there with the English?" he asked.

The gentleman of Dalness answered that he could speak English with the
best cateran ever came out of MacCailein Mor's country, and he called
for instant release, with a menace added that Hell itself could not
excel the punishment for us if they were kept much longer under lock and
bar. "We are but an advanced guard," said he, with a happy thought at
lying, "and our friends will be at your back before long."

M'Iver laughed pawkily.

"Come, come, Dalness," said he, "do you take us for girls? You have
every man left in Glencoe at your back there; you're as much ours as if
you were in the tolbooth of Inneraora O; and I would just be mentioning
that if I were in your place I would be speaking very soft and
soothing."

"I'll argue the thing fairly with you if you let us out," said Dalness,
stifling his anger behind the door, but still with the full force of it
apparent in the stress of his accent.

M'Iver laughed again.

"You have a far better chance where you are," said he. "You are very
snug and warm there; the keg of brandy's on the left-hand side of the
fire, though I'm afraid there's not very much left of it now that my
friend of Achnatra here has had his will of it. Tell