says Alan. "But
the little man cried to me to run, and indeed I thought it was a good
observe, and ran. The last that I saw they were all in a knot upon the
beach, like folk that were not agreeing very well together."

"What do you mean by that?" said I.

"Well, the fists were going," said Alan; "and I saw one man go down like
a pair of breeks. But I thought it would be better no' to wait. Ye see
there's a strip of Campbells in that end of Mull, which is no good
company for a gentleman like me. If it hadna been for that I would have
waited and looked for ye mysel', let alone giving a hand to the little
man." (It was droll how Alan dwelt on Mr. Riach's stature for, to say
the truth, the one was not much smaller than the other.) "So," says he,
continuing, "I set my best foot forward, and whenever I met in with
anyone I cried out there was a wreck ashore. Man, they didna stop to
fash with me! Ye should have seen them linking for the beach! And when
they got there they found they had had the pleasure of a run, which is
aye good for a Campbell. I'm thinking it was a judgment on the clan that
the brig went down in the lump and didna break. But it was a very
unlucky thing for you, that same; for if any wreck had come ashore they
would have hunted high and low, and would soon have found ye."

FOOTNOTES:

[19] Part.

[20] Bag.

CHAPTER XIX

THE HOUSE OF FEAR

Night fell as we were walking, and the clouds, which had broken up in
the afternoon, settled in and thickened, so that it fell, for the season
of the year, extremely dark. The way we went was over rough mountain
sides; and though Alan pushed on with an assured manner, I could by no
means see how he directed himself.

At last, about half-past ten of the clock, we came to the top of a brae,
and saw lights below us. It seemed a house-door stood open and let out a
beam of fire and candle-light; and all round the house and steading five
or six persons were moving hurriedly about, each carrying a lighted
brand.

"James must have tint his wits," said Alan. "If this was the soldiers
instead of you and me, he would be in a bonny mess. But I daresay he'll
have a sentry on the road, and he would ken well enough no soldiers
would find the way that we came."

Hereupon he whistled three times in a particular manner. It was strange
to see how, at the first sound of it, all the moving torches came to a
stand, as if the bearers were affrighted; and how, at the t