'Oich,' answered Evan,'they were all trudging before your lad and Allan Kennedy before the sun blinked ower Ben Lawers this morning; and they'll be in the pass of Bally-Brough by this time, in their way back to the parks of Tully-Veolan, all but two, that were unhappily slaughtered before I got last night to Uaimh an Ri.' 'And where are we going, Evan, if I may be so bold as to ask?' said Waverley. 'Where would you be ganging, but to the Laird's ain house of Glennaquoich? Ye would not think to be in his country, without ganging to see him? It would be as much as a man's life's worth.' 'And are we far from Glennaquoich?' 'But five bits of miles; and Vich Ian Vohr will meet us.' In about half an hour they reached the upper end of the lake, where, after landing Waverley, the two Highanders drew the boat into a little creek among thick flags and reeds, where it lay perfectly concealed. The oars they put in another place of concealment, both for the use of Donald Bean Lean probably, when his occasions should next bring him to that place. The travellers followed for some time a delightful opening into the hills, down which a little brook found its way to the lake. When they had pursued their walk a short distance, Waverley renewed his questions about their host of the cavern. 'Does he always reside in that cave?' 'Out, no! it's past the skill of man to tell where he's to be found at a' times; there's not a dern nook, or cove, or corrie, in the whole country that he's not acquainted with.' 'And do others beside your master shelter him?' 'My master? MY master is in Heaven,' answered Evan, haughtily; and then immediately assuming his usual civility of manner, 'but you mean my Chief;--no, he does not shelter Donald Bean Lean, nor any that are like him; he only allows him (with a smile) wood and water.' 'No great boon, I should think, Evan, when both seem to be very plenty.' 'Ah! but ye dinna see through it. When I say wood and water, I mean the loch and the land; and I fancy Donald would be put till 't if the Laird were to look for him wi' threescore men in the wood of Kailychat yonder; and if our boats, with a score or twa mair, were to come down the loch to Uaimh an Ri, headed by mysell, or ony other pretty man.' 'But suppose a strong party came against him from the Low Country, would not your Chief defend him?' 'Na, he would not ware the spark of a flint for him--if they came with the law.' 'And what must Donald do, then?' 'He behoved to rid this country of himsell, and fall back, it may be, over the mount upon Letter Scriven.' 'And if he were pursued to that place?' 'I'se warrant he would go to his cousin's at Rannoch.' 'Well, but if they followed him to Rannoch?' 'That,' quoth Evan, 'is beyond all belief; and, indeed, to tell you the truth, there durst not a Lowlander in all Scotland follow the fray a gun-shot beyond Bally-Brough, unless he had the help of the Sidier Dhu.' 'Whom do you call so?'