Page:Scott - Tales of my Landlord - 3rd series, vol. 4 - 1819.djvu/98

 little hillock called Drumsnab. But yours is a pretty irregular Scythian fashion of warfare, Ranald, much resembling that of Turks, Tartars, and other Asiatic people. But the reason, my friend, the cause of this war—the teterrima causa, as I may say? Deliver me that, Ranald."

"We had been pushed at by the M'Auleys, and other western tribes," said Ranald, "till our possessions became unsafe for us."

"Ah ha!' said Dalgetty; "I have faint remembrance of having heard of that matter. Did you not put bread into a man's mouth, when he had never a stomach whereunto to transmit the same?"

"You have heard, then," said Ranald, "the tale of our revenge on the haughty forester?"

"I bethink me that I have," said Dalgetty, "and that not of an old date. It was a merry jest that, of cramming the bread into the dead man's mouth, but somewhat too wild and salvage, besides wasting the good victuals. I have seen when at a siege or a