I was in this frame, my heart beating, the grey eyes plain before me like two stars, when Andie broke in upon my musing.
"I see ye hae gotten guid news," said he.
I found him looking curiously in my face; with that, there came before me like a vision of James Stewart and the court of Inverary; and my mind turned at once like a door upon its hinges. Trials, I reflected, sometimes draw out longer than is looked for. Even if I came to Inverary just too late, something might yet be attempted in the interests of James--and in those of my own character, the best would be accomplished. In a moment, it seemed without thought, I had a plan devised.
"Andie," said I, "is it still to be to-morrow?"
"Was anything said about the hour?" I asked.
He told me it was to be two o'clock afternoon.
"Very well, then," I said, "this shall be mine to arrange. The wind is in the east, my road lies westward; keep your boat, I hire it; let us work up the Forth all day; and land me at two o'clock to-morrow at the westmost we'll can have reached."
"Ye daft callant!" he cried, "ye would try for Inverary after a'!"
"Weel, ye're ill to beat!" says he. "And I was kind o' sorry for ye a' day yesterday," he added. "Ye see, I was never entirely sure till then, which way of it ye really wantit."
"A word in your ear, Andie," said I. "This plan of mine has another advantage yet. We can leave these Hielandmen behind us on the rock, and one of your boats from the Castleton can bring them off to-morrow. Yon Neil has a queer eye when he regards you; maybe, if I was once out of the gate there might be knives again; these red-shanks are unco grudgeful. And if there should come to be any question, here is your excuse. Our lives were in danger by these savages; being answerable for my safety, you chose the part to bring me from their neighbourhood and detain me the rest of the time on board your boat; and do you know, Andie?" says I, with a smile, "I think it was very wisely chosen."
"The truth is I have nae goo for Neil," says Andie, "nor he for me, I'm thinking; and I would like ill to come to my hands wi' the man. Tam Anster will make a better hand of it with the cattle onyway." (For this man, Anster, came from Fife, where the Gaelic is still spoken.) "Ay, ay!" says Andie, "Tam'll can deal with them the best. And troth! the mair I think of it, the less I see what way we would be required. The place--ay, feggs! they had forgot the place. Eh, Shaws, ye're a lang-heided chield when ye like! Forby that I'm awing ye my life," he added, with more solemnity, and offered me his hand upon the bargain.