past their heads.
"Ye'll brek yer legs. Tak' it easy. They're slow at loadin'; an' `the
mair hurry the less speed!'"

The caution was only just in time, for the impulsive Wallace had been on
the point of leaping from the wall; instead of doing which he assisted
in reversing the process which has just been described. It was much
easier, however; and the drop which Wallace had to make after his
friends were down was broken by their catching him in their arms.
Inexperience, however, is always liable to misfortune. The shock of
such a heavy man dropping from such a height gave them a surprise, and
sent them all three violently to the ground; but the firing, shouting,
and confusion on the other side of the wall caused them to jump up with
wonderful alacrity.

"Candlemaker Raw!" said Black in a hoarse whisper, as they dashed off in
different directions, and were lost in blackness of night.

With a very sad face, on which, however, there was an air of calm
resignation, Mrs. Black sat in her little room with her Bible open
before her. She had been reading to Mrs. Wallace and Jean, preparatory
to retiring for the night.

"It's awful to think of their lying out yonder, bedless, maybe
supperless, on a night like this," said Mrs. Wallace.

Jean, with her pretty face in that condition which the Scotch and
Norwegian languages expressively call begrutten, could do nothing but
sigh.

Just then hurried steps were heard on the stair, and next moment a loud
knocking shook the door.

"Wha's that?" exclaimed Mrs. Black, rising.

"It's me, mither. Open; quick!"

Next moment Andrew sprang in and looked hastily round.

"Am I the first, mither?"

Before the poor woman could recover from her joy and amazement
sufficiently to reply, another step was heard on the stair.

"That's ane o' them," said Black, turning and holding the door, so as to
be ready for friend or foe. He was right. Mrs. Wallace uttered a
little scream of joy as her son leaped into the room.

"Whaur's Quentin?" asked Black.

The question was scarcely put when the shepherd himself bounded up the
stair.

"They've gotten sight o' me, I fear," he said. "Have ye a garret,
wummin--onywhere to hide?"

"No' a place in the hoose big enough for a moose to hide in," said Mrs.
Black with a look of dismay.

As she spoke a confused noise of voices and hurrying steps was heard in
the street. Another moment and they were at the foot of the stair. The
three men