smart little officer leaped ashore, and presented to the Provost a
letter from Captain Fall, which ran somewhat in this fashion:--

"`At Sea, _May twenty-third_.

"`Gentlemen,--I send these two words to inform you, that I will have you
to bring-to the French colour in less than a quarter of an hour, or I
set the town on fire directly. Such is the order of my master, the King
of France, I am sent by. Send directly the Mair and chiefs of the town
to make some agreement with me, or I'll make my duty. It is the will of
yours,--G. FALL.

"`To Monsieur Mair of the town called Arbrought, or in his absence to
the chief man after him in Scotland.'

"On reading this the Provost bowed respectfully to the officer, and
begged of him to wait a few minutes while he should consult with his
chief men. This was agreed to, and the Provost said to his friends, as
he walked to a neighbouring house--

"`Ye see, freens, this whipper-snapper o' a tade-eater has gotten the
whup hand o' us; but we'll be upsides wi' him. The main thing is to get
delay, so cut away, Tam Cargill, and tak' horse to Montrose for the
sodgers. Spare na the spur, lad, an' gar them to understan' that the
case is urgent.'

"While Tam Cargill started away on his mission, the Provost, whose chief
aim was to gain time and cause delay, penned an epistle to the
Frenchman, in which he stated that he had neglected to name the terms on
which he would consent to spare the town, and that he would consider it
extremely obliging if he would, as speedily as possible, return an
answer, stating them, in order that they might be laid before the chief
men of the place."

"When the Provost, who was a grave, dignified old man, with a strong
dash of humour in him, handed this note to the French officer, he did so
with a humble obeisance that appeared to afford much gratification to
the little man. As the latter jumped into the boat and ordered the men
to push off, the Provost turned slowly to his brother magistrates with a
wink and a quiet smile that convulsed them with suppressed laughter, and
did more to encourage any of the wavering or timid inhabitants than if
he had harangued them heroically for an hour.

"Some time after the boat returned with a reply, which ran thus:--

"`At Sea, _eight o'clock in the Afternoon_.'

"`Gentlemen,--I received just now your answer, by which you say I ask no
terms. I thought it was useless, since I asked you to come aboard for
agreement