tearing
with rage to be so outwitted, and their firelocks rendered useless for
the time.

As soon as the fugitives were within wadeable reach of the bank, they
jumpit out of the boat and ran, and were not long within the scope of
their adversaries' fire.

By this time the sun was far in the west, and they knew little of the
country about where they were; but, before embarking, the ferryman had
pointed out to them the abbey towers of Paisley, and they knew that, for
a long period, many of the humane inhabitants of that town had been
among the faithfullest of Scottishmen to the cause of the Kirk and
Covenant; and therefore they thought that, under the distraction of
their circumstances maybe it would be their wisest course to direct
their steps in the dusk of evening towards the town, and they threw
aside their arms, that they might pass as simple wayfaring men.

Accordingly, having loitered in the way thither, they reached Paisley
about the heel of the twilight, and searching their way into the heart
of the town, they found a respectable public near the Cross, into which
they entered, and ordered some consideration of vivers for supper, just
as if they had been on market business. In so doing nothing particular
was remarked of them; and my brother, by way of an entertainment before
bed-time, told his companion of my grandfather's adventure in Paisley,
the circumstantials whereof are already written in this book; drawing
out of what had come to pass with him cheering aspirations of happier
days for themselves.

While they were thus speaking, one of the town-council, Deacon Fulton,
came in to have a cap and a crack with any stranger that might be in the
house. This deacon was a man who well represented and was a good swatch
of the plain honesty and strict principles which have long governed
within that ancient borough of regality. He seeing them, and being
withal a man of shrewd discernment, eyed them very sharply, and maybe
guessing what they were and where they had come from entered into a
discreet conversation with them anent the troubles of the time. In this
he showed the pawkrie, that so well becomes those who sit in council,
with a spicerie of that wholesome virtue and friendly sympathy of which
all the poor fugitives from the Pentland raid stood in so great need.
For, without pretending to jealouse any thing of what they were, he
spoke of that business as the crack of the day, and told them of many of
the affl