Scotland--you and your friend from the Lowlands too. For I'll have to
paper your friend from the Lowlands. Ye see that, Alan--say that ye see
that!"

I thought Alan flushed a bit. "This is unco hard on me that brought him
here, James," said he, throwing his head back. "It's like making me a
traitor!"

"Now, Alan man!" cried James. "Look things in the face! He'll be papered
anyway; Mungo Campbell'll be sure to paper him; what matters if I paper
him too? And then, Alan, I am a man that has a family." And then, after
a little pause on both sides: "And, Alan, it'll be a jury of Campbells,"
said he.

"There's one thing," said Alan musingly, "that naebody kens his name."

"Nor yet they shallna, Alan! There's my hand on that," cried James, for
all the world as if he had really known my name and was foregoing some
advantage. "But just the habit he was in, and what he looked like, and
his age, and the like? I couldna well do less."

"I wonder at your father's son," cried Alan sternly. "Would ye sell the
lad with a gift? Would ye change his clothes and then betray him?"

"No, no, Alan," said James. "No, no: the habit he took off--the habit
Mungo saw him in." But I thought he seemed crestfallen; indeed, he was
clutching at every straw, and all the time, I daresay, saw the faces of
his hereditary foes on the bench, and in the jury-box, and the gallows
in the background.

"Well, sir," says Alan, turning to me, "what say ye to that? Ye are here
under the safeguard of my honour; and it's my part to see nothing done
but what shall please you."

"I have but one word to say," said I; "for to all this dispute I am a
perfect stranger. But the plain common-sense is to set the blame where
it belongs, and that is on the man that fired the shot. Paper him, as ye
call it, set the hunt on him; and let honest, innocent folk show their
faces in safety."

But at this both Alan and James cried out in horror; bidding me hold my
tongue, for that was not to be thought of; and asking me what the
Camerons would think? (which confirmed me, it must have been a Cameron
from Mamore that did the act) and if I did not see that the lad might be
caught? "Ye havena surely thought of that?" said they, with such
innocent earnestness that my hands dropped at my side and I despaired of
argument.

"Very well, then," said I, "paper me, if you please, paper Alan, paper
King George! We're all three innocent, and that seems to be what's
wanted. But at least