"Give him money, then, and a present for himself, and get him to fetch it for you. Some of the Bairds may remain there, and you may be sure that every stranger will be strictly questioned. I want also the four horse cloths, which please make into a bundle. Is your water skin full?" "We filled it this afternoon, thinking it possible that we might make a hasty start tonight." "How much does it hold?" "About two gallons." "It would have been better had it been four. However, we must manage with it. Now, do you know of any ford across the river? for I certainly could not swim across, with this load." "There is one half a mile farther up. We were asking the hind about it, the other day, thinking that it might be useful should we have to fly suddenly. I will go down with you; and indeed, I shall be glad to go the whole way with you, for the provisions and those blankets and the skin will be no light weight; and, as I am going to Hiniltie, it will cheer Armstrong if I could tell him that I saw his daughters." "It would be a good plan, Fergus, though in truth the weight would be no great burden; but certainly, Armstrong would be pleased to know that you had seen his daughters." A few minutes later they set out, forded the river breast high, carrying the loads on their heads; and then, climbing the hill, made their way to the shelter, whose exact position Oswald had marked, on starting, by a huge boulder that stood on the crest of the hill, some fifty feet above it. Roger was on the lookout. Seeing two figures approaching, when he expected but one, he grasped his staff firmly. "Who comes there?" he asked. "It is I, Roger. I have brought one of the men with me, to help carry the things. He is going to Hiniltie, and thought that Armstrong would be pleased to know he had seen his daughters. I have got plenty of food, and a skin of water." "That is capital," Roger said cheerfully. "I was fearing that, having so many things to think of, you might forget water." Oswald went to the shelter. "Are you awake, Janet?" "Yes," she replied. "I have been anxious, while you were away." "Are you cold?" "I am not very warm," she answered; "but do not trouble about it, we shall do very well." "I have two blankets here," he said, as he removed the covering. "One of these I will put over you both, and tuck it well in, each side, to keep out the wind that comes in between the stones. Then I will lay your smocks over that. I wrung them well, before putting them on the sticks; and although I cannot say they are dry, yet they are not damp enough to matter, and will help keep you warm. The other blanket I will put over the sticks." "Thank you indeed, Oswald," the girl said, gratefully. "That feels very much more comfortable." "Now, Roger, there is a blanket for you, and one for me, to wrap round us, plaid fashion."