that, ye must be as
feckless at the sailoring as I have found ye at the fighting. Why, my
poor country-people in their bit cobles[16] pass from island to island
in all weathers--ay, and by night too, for the matter of that."

"A coble's not a ship, sir," said the captain. "It has nae draught of
water."

"Well, then, to Glasgow if ye list!" says Alan. "We'll have the laugh of
ye at the least."

"My mind runs little upon laughing," said the captain. "But all this
will cost money, sir."

"Well, sir," says Alan, "I am nae weathercock. Thirty guineas, if ye
land me on the sea-side; and sixty, if ye put me in the Linnhe Loch."

"But see, sir, where we lie we are but a few hours' sail from
Ardnamurchan," said Hoseason. "Give me sixty, and I'll set ye there."

"And I'm to wear my brogues and run jeopardy of the red-coats to please
you?" cries Alan. "No, sir; if ye want sixty guineas earn them, and set
me in my own country."

"It's to risk the brig, sir," said the captain, "and your own lives
along with her."

"Take it or want it," says Alan.

"Could ye pilot us at all?" asked the captain, who was frowning to
himself.

"Well, it's doubtful," said Alan. "I'm more of a fighting man (as ye
have seen for yoursel') than a sailor-man. But I have been often enough
picked up and set down upon this coast and should ken something of the
lie of it."

The captain shook his head, still frowning.

"If I had lost less money on this unchancy cruise," says he, "I would
see you in a rope's-end before I risked my brig, sir. But be it as ye
will. As soon as I get a slant of wind (and there's some coming, or I'm
the more mistaken) I'll put it in hand. But there's one thing more. We
may meet in with a King's ship, and she may lay us aboard, sir, with no
blame of mine: they keep the cruisers thick upon this coast, ye ken who
for. Now, sir, if that was to befall, ye might leave the money."

"Captain," says Alan, "if ye see a pennant it shall be your part to run
away.--And now, as I hear you're a little short of brandy in the
fore-part, I'll offer ye a change: a bottle of brandy against two
buckets of water."

That was the last clause of the treaty, and was duly executed on both
sides; so that Alan and I could at last wash out the round-house and be
quit of the memorials of those whom we had slain, and the captain and
Mr. Riach could be happy again in their own way, the name of which was
drink.

FOOTNOTE:

[16] Coble: a small