ld not; how at length, under cover of a notable fray in the streets,
we fled back to Leith, where we found a boat and so reached Falkirk.
From there, how like so many gipsies we wandered over the hills and
among the deep valleys till we came to Lennox, and so once more met the
sea on the other side. Then, by what perils of storm and current, in a
small row-boat, we crossed to the wild Isle of Arran, on which we were
well-nigh starved with hunger and drowned with the rains. And at last,
how, using a fine day, we made across to Cantire, where, so soon as
Ludar declared his name, we were hospitably received by the McDonnells
there, and promised a safe conduct over to Ireland.

From the wild men here--half soldiers, half mariners--we heard--not that
I could understand a word of their tongue, but Ludar and the old nurse
could--that Sorley Boy, Ludar's father, was already across, hiding in
the Antrim Glynns, where, joined by many a friendly clan, he was waiting
his chance to swoop down on the English and recapture his ancient
fortress. Turlogh Luinech O'Neill, the maiden's father, we heard, was
still lending himself to the invaders, and in return for the Queen's
favour, holding aloof, if not getting ready to fall upon the McDonnells
when the time came. Of these last, Alexander, Ludar's brother, first
and favourite son of the great Sorley Boy (for Donnell, the eldest of
all, had been slain in battle), was reputed, next to his father, the
bravest; he was also in the Glynns; but James and Randal, his other
brothers, were in the Isles, raising the Scots there, and waiting the
signal to descend with their gallow-glasses on the coveted coast.

Ludar, had he been alone, would have stayed, I think, to join them.
But, with the maiden there, he could think of naught until he had
rendered her up safely to her father, foeman though he might be. So to-
morrow we were to sail for Castleroe, Turlogh's fort on the western bank
of the River Bann, whence, having left our charge, we would repair,
Ludar said, sword in hand to his father's camp.

At daybreak we quitted the McDonnells' hut in which we had sheltered and
went down to the little harbour in the bay. The long Atlantic waves
thundered in from the west as if they would bar our passage, and I
wondered much at the peril of crossing that angry channel in so frail a
craft.

But Ludar laughed when I questioned him.

"These galleys," said he, "have carried my fathers on stormier seas