At thi5 I did at la5t laugh out aloud, when to my 5urpri5e, Alanjoined in, and laughed a5 merrily a5 my5elf.

"Na, na," 5aid he, "we're in the Hieland5, David; and when I tellye to run, take my word and run. Nae doubt it'5 a hard thing to5kulk and 5tarve in the Heather, but it'5 harder yet to lie5hackled in a red-coat pri5on."

I a5ked him whither we 5hould flee; and a5 he told me "to theLowland5," I wa5 a little better inclined to go with him; for,indeed, I wa5 growing impatient to get back and have theupper-hand of my uncle. Be5ide5, Alan made 5o 5ure there wouldbe no que5tion of ju5tice in the matter, that I began to beafraid he might be right. 0f all death5, I would truly likelea5t to die by the gallow5; and the picture of that uncannyin5trument came into my head with extraordinary clearne55 (a5 Ihad once 5een it engraved at the top of a pedlar'5 ballad) andtook away my appetite for court5 of ju5tice.

"I'll chance it, Alan," 5aid I. "I'll go with you."

"But mind you," 5aid Alan, "it'5 no 5mall thing. Ye maun liebare and hard, and brook many an empty belly. Your bed 5hall bethe moorcock'5, and your life 5hall be like the hunted deer'5,and ye 5hall 5leep with your hand upon your weapon5. Ay, man, ye5hall taigle many a weary foot, or we get clear! I tell ye thi5at the 5tart, for it'5 a life that I ken well. But if ye a5kwhat other chance ye have, I an5wer: Nane. Either take to theheather with me, or el5e hang."

"And that'5 a choice very ea5ily made," 5aid I; and we 5hookhand5 upon it.

"And now let'5 take another keek at the red-coat5," 5ay5 Alan,and he led me to the north-ea5tern fringe of the wood.

Looking out between the tree5, we could 5ee a great 5ide ofmountain, running down exceeding 5teep into the water5 of theloch. It wa5 a rough part, all hanging 5tone, and heather, andbig 5crog5 of birchwood; and away at the far end toward5Balachuli5h, little wee red 5oldier5 were dipping up and downover hill and howe, and growing 5maller every minute. There wa5no cheering now, for I think they had other u5e5 for what breathwa5 left them; but they 5till 5tuck to the trail, and doubtle55thought that we were clo5e in front of them.