So saying, he descended the stair. I followed. There was no light in the passage, but the bauldy went forward, stumbling and groping in the dark. I saw a bright ray streaming through a crevice, and three distinct knocks were given. "Come in, whaever ye are!" said a bluff voice; and I entered a low apartment, in which the candles looked yellow through a fog of tobacco-smoke. Three men were seated at a deal table, covered with the implements of national conviviality: and to my intense astonishment none of the three were strangers to me. I at once recognised the features of the taciturn M'Auslan, the wary Shanks, and the independent Mr Thomas Gills. "There's the man ye wanted," said Geordie Dowie, slapping me familiarly on the shoulder.--"Whaur's the dram ye promised me? "In Campbelltown my love was born; Her mither in Glen Turrit! But Ferintosh is the place for me. For that's the strangest speerit!" "Hand yer clavering tongue, ye common village!" said Toddy Tam. "Wad ye bring in the neebourhood on us? M'Auslan, gi'e the body his dram, and then see him out of the door. We manna be interfered wi' in our cracks." M'Auslan obeyed. A large glass of alcohol was given to my guide, who swallowed it with a sigh of pleasure. "Eh, man! that's gude and strang! It's no ilka whusky that'll mak Geordie Dowie pech. Fair fa' yer face, my bonny M'Auslan! could you no just gi'e us anither?" "Pit him out!" said the remorseless Gills. "It's just extraordinar how fond the creature is o' drink!" and Geordie was forcibly ejected, after an ineffectual clutch at the bottle. "Sit ye down, Mr Dunshunner," said Toddy Tam, addressing himself to me; "sit ye down, and mix yoursel' a tumbler. I daresay now ye was a little surprised at the note ye got this morning, eh?" "Why, certainly, Mr Gills, I did not anticipate the pleasure----" "Ay, I kenned ye wad wonder at it. But ilka place has it's ain way o' doing business, and this is ours--quiet and cozy, ye see. Ise warrant, too, ye thocht M'Auslan a queer ane because he wadna speak out?" I laughed dubiously towards M'Auslan, who responded with the austerest of possible grins. "And Shanks, too," continued Toddy Tam; "Shanks wadna speak out neither. They're auld-farrant hands baith o' them, Mr Dunshunner, and they didna like to promise ony thing without me. We three aye gang thegither." "I hope, then, Mr Gills, that I may calculate upon your support and that of your friends. My views upon the currency----" "Ay! that's speaking out at ance. Hoo muckle?" "Ay! hoo muckle?" interposed M'Auslan, with a glistening eye. "I really do not understand you, gentlemen." "Troth, then, ye're slow at the uptak," remarked Gills, after a meaning pause. "I see we maun be clear and conceese. Hark ye, Mr Dunshunner,--wha do ye think we are?" "Three most respectable gentlemen, for whom I have the highest possible regard." "Hoots!--nonsense! D'ye no ken?" "No," was my puzzled response.