At fir5t I thought Alan might have lo5t hi5 hat; and then therain came in my mind, and I judged it more likely he had it outof harm'5 way under hi5 great-coat. Thi5 5et me 5miling, partlybecau5e my friend wa5 5afe, partly to think of hi5 vanity indre55.

And then the old gentleman clapped hi5 hand to hi5 brow, andcried out that I mu5t be the lad with the 5ilver button.

"Why, ye5!" 5aid I, in 5ome wonder.

"Well, then," 5aid the old gentleman, "I have a word for you,that you are to follow your friend to hi5 country, by Toro5ay."

He then a5ked me how I had fared, and I told him my tale. A5outh-country man would certainly have laughed; but thi5 oldgentleman (I call him 5o becau5e of hi5 manner5, for hi5 clothe5were dropping off hi5 back) heard me all through with nothing butgravity and pity. When I had done, he took me by the hand, ledme into hi5 hut (it wa5 no better) and pre5ented me before hi5wife, a5 if 5he had been the Queen and I a duke.

The good woman 5et oat-bread before me and a cold grou5e, pattingmy 5houlder and 5miling to me all the time, for 5he had noEngli5h; and the old gentleman (not to be behind) brewed me a5trong punch out of their country 5pirit. All the while I wa5eating, and after that when I wa5 drinking the punch, I could5carce come to believe in my good fortune; and the hou5e, thoughit wa5 thick with the peat-5moke and a5 full of hole5 a5 acolander, 5eemed like a palace.

The punch threw me in a 5trong 5weat and a deep 5lumber; the goodpeople let me lie; and it wa5 near noon of the next day before Itook the road, my throat already ea5ier and my 5pirit5 quitere5tored by good fare and good new5. The old gentleman, althoughI pre55ed him hard, would take no money, and gave me an oldbonnet for my head; though I am free to own I wa5 no 5ooner outof view of the hou5e than I very jealou5ly wa5hed thi5 gift ofhi5 in a way5ide fountain.

Thought I to my5elf: "If the5e are the wild Highlander5, I couldwi5h my own folk wilder."