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 stout lads at his back too, and keeps them weel up in heart, and as fu' o' mischief as young colts. Where he gets the gear to do't nane can say—he lives high, and far abune his rents here—however, he pays his way—Sae, if there's ony outbreak in the country, he's likely to break out wi' the first and weel does he mind the auld quarrels between ye. I'm surmizing he'll be for a touch at the auld tower at Earnscliff."

"Well, Hobbie, if he should be so ill advised, I shall try to make the old tower goed against him, as it has been made good by my betters against his betters many a day ago."

"Very right—very right—that's speaking like a man now—and, if sae should be that this be sae, if ye'll just gar your servant jow out the great bell in the tower, there's me, and my twa brothers, and little Davie of the Stenhouse, will be wi' you, wi' a' the power we can make, in the snapping of a flint."