“Well, and that’s true, too,” said Alan; “and my friend from the Lowlands here” (nodding at me) “gave me a good word upon that head, if I would only have listened to him.” “But see here,” said James, returning to his former manner, “if they lay me by the heels, Alan, it’s then that you’ll be needing the money. For with all that I have said and that you have said, it will look very black against the two of us; do ye mark that? Well, follow me out, and ye’ll see that I’ll have to get a paper out against ye mysel’; I’ll have to offer a reward for ye; ay, will I! It’s a sore thing to do between such near friends; but if I get the dirdum[23] of this dreadful accident, I’ll have to fend for myself, man. Do ye see that?” He spoke with a pleading earnestness, taking Alan by the breast of the coat. “Ay,” said Alan, “I see that.” “And ye’ll have to be clear of the country, Alan--ay, and clear of Scotland--you and your friend from the Lowlands, too. For I’ll have to paper your friend from the Lowlands. Ye see that, Alan--say that ye see that!” I thought Alan flushed a bit. “This is unco hard on me that brought him here, James,” said he, throwing his head back. “It’s like making me a traitor!” “Now, Alan, man!” cried James. “Look things in the face! He’ll be papered anyway; Mungo Campbell’ll be sure to paper him; what matters if I paper him too? And then, Alan, I am a man that has a family.” And then, after a little pause on both sides, “And, Alan, it’ll be a jury of Campbells,” said he. “There’s one thing,” said Alan, musingly, “that naebody kens his name.” “Nor yet they shallnae, Alan! There’s my hand on that,” cried James, for all the world as if he had really known my name and was foregoing some advantage. “But just the habit he was in, and what he looked like, and his age, and the like? I couldnae well do less.” “I wonder at your father’s son,” cried Alan, sternly. “Would ye sell the lad with a gift? Would ye change his clothes and then betray him?” “No, no, Alan,” said James. “No, no: the habit he took off--the habit Mungo saw him in.” But I thought he seemed crestfallen; indeed, he was clutching at every straw, and all the time, I dare say, saw the faces of his hereditary foes on the bench, and in the jury-box, and the gallows in the background. “Well, sir,” says Alan, turning to me, “what say ye to that? Ye are here under the safeguard of my honour; and it’s my part to see nothing done but what shall please you.”