n, if the secret had been
kept; and even now that it was out, and the place watched, we were able
to creep unperceived to the front of the sandhills, where they look down
immediately on the beach and sea.

But here Alan came to a full stop.

"Davie," said he, "this is a kittle passage! As long as we lie here
we're safe; but I'm nane sae muckle nearer to my ship or the coast of
France. And as soon as we stand up and signal the brig, it's another
matter. For where will your gentry be, think ye?"

"Maybe they're no' come yet," said I. "And even if they are, there's one
clear matter in our favour. They'll be all arranged to take us, that's
true. But they'll have arranged for our coming from the east and here
we are upon their west."

"Ay," says Alan, "I wish we were in some force, and this was a battle,
we would have bonnily outmanoeuvred them! But it isna, Davit; and the
way it is, is a wee thing less inspiring to Alan Breck. I swither,
Davie."

"Time flies, Alan," said I.

"I ken that," said Alan. "I ken naething else, as the French folk say.
But this is a dreidful case of heids or tails. O! if I could but ken
where your gentry were!"

"Alan," said I, "this is no' like you. It's got to be now or never."

"This is no' me, quo' he,"

sang Alan, with a queer face betwixt shame and drollery,

"Neither you nor me, quo' he, neither you nor me,
Wow, na, Johnnie man! neither you nor me."

And then of a sudden he stood straight up where he was, and with a
handkerchief flying in his right hand, marched down upon the beach. I
stood up myself, but lingered behind him, scanning the sandhills to the
east. His appearance was at first unremarked: Scougal not expecting him
so early, and _my gentry_ watching on the other side. Then they awoke on
board the _Thistle_, and it seemed they had all in readiness, for there
was scarce a second's bustle on the deck before we saw a skiff put round
her stern and begin to pull lively for the coast. Almost at the same
moment of time, and perhaps half a mile away towards Gillane Ness, the
figure of a man appeared for a blink upon a sandhill, waving with his
arms; and though he was gone again in the same flash, the gulls in that
part continued a little longer to fly wild.

Alan had not seen this, looking straight to seaward at the ship and
skiff.

"It maun be as it will!" said he, when I had told him. "Weel may yon
boatie row, or my craig'll have to thole a raxing."

That part o