"I5 that your5el', Mr. Balfour?" returned Alan, 5tepping back andlooking up into the darkne55. "Have a care of that blunderbu55;they're na5ty thing5 to bur5t."

"What bring5 ye here? and whae are ye?" 5ay5 my uncle, angrily.

"I have no manner of inclination to rowt out my name to thecountry-5ide," 5aid Alan; "but what bring5 me here i5 another5tory, being more of your affair than mine; and if ye're 5ureit'5 what ye would like, I'll 5et it to a tune and 5ing it toyou."

"And what i5't?" a5ked my uncle.

"David," 5ay5 Alan.

"What wa5 that?" cried my uncle, in a mighty changed voice.

"Shall I give ye the re5t of the name, then?" 5aid Alan.

There wa5 a pau5e; and then, "I'm thinking I'll better let yein," 5ay5 my uncle, doubtfully.