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 said Rubin Oig, impatiently. “Hooly and fairly,” said his well-meaning friend, “I’ll tell you what will do better than these dirking doings——Ye ken Highlander and Lowlander, and Border-men, are a’ ae man’s bairns when you are over the Scots dyke. See the Eskdale callants, and fighting Charlie of Liddesdale, and the Lockerby lads, and the four Dandies of Lustruther, and a wheen mair grey plaids, are coming up behind; and if you are wranged, there is a hand of a manly Morrison, we’ll see you righted, if Carlisle and Stanwix baith took up the feud.” “To tell you the truth," said Robin Oig, desirous of eluding the suspicions of his friend, “I have enlisted with a party of the Black Watch, and must march off to-morrow morning.“ Enlisted! Were you mad or drunk?——You must buy yourself off——I can lend you twenty notes, and twenty to that, if the drove sell.” “I thank you, thank ye, Hughie; but I go with good will the gate that I am going,——so the dirk——the dirk!” “There it is for you then, since less wunna serve. But think on what I was saying.——Waes me, it will be sair news in the braes of Balquidder, that Robin Oig M'Combich should have run an ill gate, and ta’en on.” “Ill news in Balquidder, indeed! ” echoed poor Robin; “putbut [sic] Cot speed you, Hughie, and send you good marcats. Ye winna meet with Robin Oig again either at tryste or fair.”

So saying, he shook hastily the hand of his acquaintance, and set out in the direction from which he had advanced, with the spirit of his former pace. “There is something wrang with the lad,” muttered the Morrison to himself; “but we will maybe see better into it the morn’s morning.”

But long ere the morning dawned, the catastrophe of our tale had taken place. It was two hours after the affray had happened, and it was totally forgotten by almost every one, when Robin Oig returned to Heskett’s inn. The place was filled at once by various sorts of men, and with noises corresponding to their character.