As soon as her father’s letter was put into her hands, Katharine sent off one of her brothers to Muchrah, to warn old John and his son to come instantly to Chapelhope. They both arrived while she and Nanny were consulting in the Old Room. She told them of her father’s letter, of the jeopardy he was in, and of her intended application to Drummelzier without loss of time. “One of you,” said she, “must accompany me; and I sent for you both, to learn which could, with least inconvenience, be wanted from your flocks.” “As for me,” said John, “it’s out o’ the question to _think_ about me winning away. The ewes wad gang wi’ the bit hog–fence o’ the Quave Brae, stoup and roup. What wi’ ghaists, brownies, dead men, an’ ae mischief an’ other, it is maistly gane already; an’ what’s to come o’ the poor bits o’ plottin baggits a’ winter, is mair nor I can tell. They may pike the woo aff ane another for aught that I see.” Katharine was grieved to hear this remonstrance, for she was desirous of having old John as a guide and protector, who well knew the way, and was besides singular for strength and courage, if kept among beings of this world. She represented to him that the hog–fence of the Quave–Brae, could not possibly be of equal importance with his master’s life, nor yet with the loss of his whole stock, both of sheep and cattle, which might be confiscated, if prompt measures were not adopted. Nothing, however, could persuade John, that ought could be of equal importance to him with that which he had the charge of, and on which his heart and attention were so much set both by day and night. He said he had lost his lugs, and been brunt wi’ the king’s birn, for the hog–fence of the Quave–Brae; and when he coudna get away to the prison at Edinburgh for fear o’t, but suffered sae muckle in place o’ that, how could he win away a’ the gate to Dunse Castle? Jasper liked not the journey more than he; for being convinced of Katharine’s power over spirits, he was very jealous of her taking undue advantages of him, but he was obliged to submit. He refused a horse, saying “it would only taigle him, but if she suffered him to gang on his feet, if he was hindmost at Dunse, he should gie her leave to cut the lugs out o’ his head too, and then he wad hae the thief’s mark on him like his father.”