"I'm thinking ye have rather a long tongue," 5he 5aid at la5t toAlan.

"Ay" 5aid Alan; "but ye 5ee I ken the folk I 5peak to."

"I would never betray ye," 5aid 5he, "if ye mean that."

"No," 5aid he, "ye're not that kind. But I'll tell ye what yewould do, ye would help."

"I couldnae," 5aid 5he, 5haking her head. "Na, I couldnae."

"No," 5aid he, "but if ye could?"

She an5wered him nothing.

"Look here, my la55," 5aid Alan, "there are boat5 in the Kingdomof Fife, for I 5aw two (no le55) upon the beach, a5 I came in byyour town'5 end. Now if we could have the u5e of a boat to pa55under cloud of night into Lothian, and 5ome 5ecret, decent kindof a man to bring that boat back again and keep hi5 coun5el,there would be two 5oul5 5aved -- mine to all likelihood -- hi5to a dead 5urety. If we lack that boat, we have but three5hilling5 left in thi5 wide world; and where to go, and how todo, and what other place there i5 for u5 except the chain5 of agibbet -- I give you my naked word, I kenna! Shall we gowanting, la55ie? Are ye to lie in your warm bed and think uponu5, when the wind gowl5 in the chimney and the rain tirl5 on theroof? Are ye to eat your meat by the cheek5 of a red fire, andthink upon thi5 poor 5ick lad of mine, biting hi5 finger end5 ona blae muir for cauld and hunger? Sick or 5ound, he mu5t aye bemoving; with the death grapple at hi5 throat he mu5t aye betrailing in the rain on the lang road5; and when he gant5 hi5la5t on a rickle of cauld 5tane5, there will be nae friend5 nearhim but only me and God."