"Na!" replied Adam, "I was mair feared for yer auld cousin, my mither, gif she kent what I was aboot, for she’s unco’ prood o’ you. But I didna think ye ever luiked efter poachers yersel’? Noo I hae telt ye a’ aboot it."
"I’ faith," said John, taking a snuff and handing the box to Adam, "it’s human natur’! But ye ken, human natur’s wicked, desperately wicked! and afore I was a keeper my natur’ was fully as wicked as yours,--fully, Adam, if no waur. But I hae repented--ever sin’ I was made keeper; and I wadna like to hinder your repentance. Na, na. We mauna be ower prood! Sae I’ll---- Wait a bit, man, be canny till I see if ony o’ the lads are in sicht;" and John peeped over a knoll, and cautiously looked around in every direction until satisfied that he was alone. "--I’ll no’ mention this job," he continued, "if ye’ll promise me, Adam, never to try this wark again; for it’s no’ respectable; and, warst o’ a’, it’s no’ safe, and ye wad get me into a habble as weel as yersel’. Sae promise me, like a guid cousin, as I may ca’ ye,--and bluid is thicker than water, ye ken,--and then just creep doon the burn, and alang the plantin’, and ower the wa’, till ye get intil the peat road, and be aff like stoor afore the win’; but I canna wi’ conscience let ye tak’ the birds wi’ ye."
Adam thought a little, and said, "Ye’re a gude sowl, John, and I’ll no’ betray ye." After a while he added, gravely, "But I maun kill something. It’s no in my heart as wickedness; but my fingers maun draw a trigger." After a pause, he continued, "Gie’s yer hand, John; ye hae been a frien’ to me, and I’ll be a man o’ honour to you. I’ll never poach mair, but I’ll ’list and be a sodger! Till I send hame money,--and it’ill no’ be lang,--be kind tae my mither, and I’ll never forget it."
But Adam, after seizing John by the hand and saying, "Fareweel for a year and a day," suddenly started off down the glen, leaving two brace of grouse, with his gun, at John’s feet; as much as to say, Tell my Lord how you caught the wicked poacher, and how he fled the country.
Spence told indeed how he had caught a poacher, who had escaped, but never gave his name, nor ever hinted that Adam was the man.
It was thus Adam Mercer poached and enlisted.