Page:Rob Roy, the celebrated Highland freebooter, or, Memoirs of the Osbaldistone family (2).pdf/16

 Rob Roy to this effect: That he durst not meet the Bailie and him at the clachan of Aberfoyle, as the night-hawks were abroad; but that the bearer of the letter was trusty, and would guide them to a place where he could meet them with safety.―In the stable he found Andrew, who was in great dismay, as he had seen one of Rob's gillies give the letter to the landlady for his master. During supper, Frank overheard them concerting the best means of catching Rob Roy, and expressing their impatience for the arrival of some red-coats, who were to assist them. Their discourse was interrupted by the entrance of an officer, who inquired if they were the gentlemen he was appointed to meet with there; and, on their answering in the affirmative, he shewed them a warrant which he had received, "to search for and arrest two persons accused of treasonable practices. On looking at the Bailie and Frank, he observed, that they answered the description exactly; and, notwithstanding their protestations to the contrary, he caused them to be searched. The only paper found on Frank was Rob Roy's letter, which made the officer suspect that they were his confederates, and therefore he ordered them into custody till further inquiry.

Frank and his companion having retired to rest, they were roused from their slumber in the middle of the night, by the noise of soldiers dragging in a culprit. This prisoner was poor Dougal, the ex-turnkey, whom they found, on examination, to hebe [sic] one of Rob Roy's accomplices, and by his own confession to have parted with him about an hour before. The officer threatened to hang Dougal on the next tree unless he discovered Rob Roy's retreat, and a piece of cord being actually prepared before his eyes, the poor creature was obliged to consent to conduct them. Having drawn up his men, the officer forced Frank and the Bailie to join them, and then the whole set out under the guidance of Dougal. The road was at first open, but it afterwards took a winding direction among the hills, and led to a narrow pass, scarcely sufficient to admit the troops. Here they made a halt, as they found a commanding position of the path before them occupied by Highlanders, and heard the sound of bagpipes in their rear; but Captain Thornton, the officer, having resolved to force the pass, seized his pike from one of the soldiers, and putting himself at their head, gave the word to march forward. The party had advanced within twenty yards of the spot which was occupied by the enemy, when they observed the Highlanders, with their bonnets and long guns, crouching among the brushwood on the eminence, and were stopped by the sudden appearance of a female on the summit of a rock, who ordered them to stand, and demanded what they sought in the country of the Macgregor. Captain Thornton replied, that he came in search of Rob Roy Macgregor Campbell, and if any resistance