cutor."

Both hastened to protest that they had no such object, and insisted
again upon the impassable character of the Highland paths. Angus
M'Aulay mumbled over a number of hard Gaellic names, descriptive of the
difficult passes, precipices, corries, and beals, through which he
said the road lay to Inverary, when old Donald, who had now entered,
sanctioned his master's account of these difficulties, by holding up his
hands, and elevating his eyes, and shaking his head, at every gruttural
which M'Aulay pronounced. But all this did not move the inflexible
Captain.

"My worthy friends," said he, "Gustavus is not new to the dangers of
travelling, and the mountains of Bohemia; and (no disparagement to the
beals and corries Mr. Angus is pleased to mention, and of which Sir
Miles, who never saw them, confirms the horrors,) these mountains may
compete with the vilest roads in Europe. In fact, my horse hath a most
excellent and social quality; for although he cannot pledge in my cup,
yet we share our loaf between us, and it will be hard if he suffers
famine where cakes or bannocks are to be found. And, to cut this matter
short, I beseech you, my good friends, to observe the state of Sir
Duncan Campbell's palfrey, which stands in that stall before us, fat
and fair; and, in return for your anxiety an my account, I give you
my honest asseveration, that while we travel the same road, both that
palfrey and his rider shall lack for food before either Gustavus or I."

Having said this he filled a large measure with corn, and walked up with
it to his charger, who, by his low whinnying neigh, his pricked ears,
and his pawing, showed how close the alliance was betwixt him and his
rider. Nor did he taste his corn until he had returned his master's
caresses, by licking his hands and face. After this interchange of
greeting, the steed began to his provender with an eager dispatch, which
showed old military habits; and the master, after looking on the animal
with great complacency for about five minutes, said,--"Much good may it
do your honest heart, Gustavus;--now must I go and lay in provant myself
for the campaign."

He then departed, having first saluted the Englishman and Angus M'Aulay,
who remained looking at each other for some time in silence, and then
burst out into a fit of laughter.

"That fellow," said Sir Miles Musgrave, "is formed to go through the
world."

"I shall think so too," said M'Aulay, "if he can slip through M