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Chapter 12
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“Ye’reagoodladinafight,”saidAlan;“but,man!yehaveWhigbloodinye!”
Hespokekindlyenough,buttherewassomuchangerunderhiscontemptthatIthoughtitwaswisetochangetheconversation.Iexpressedmywonderhow,withtheHighlandscoveredwithtroops,andguardedlikeacityinasiege,amaninhissituationcouldcomeandgowithoutarrest.
“It’seasierthanyewouldthink,”saidAlan.“Abarehillside(yesee)islikealloneroad;ifthere’sasentryatoneplace,yejustgobyanother.Andthentheheather’sagreathelp.Andeverywheretherearefriends’housesandfriends’byresandhaystacks.Andbesides,whenfolktalkofacountrycoveredwithtroops,it’sbutakindofabywordatthebest.Asoldiercoversnaemairofitthanhisboot-soles.Ihavefishedawaterwithasentryontheothersideofthebrae,andkilledafinetrout;andIhavesatinaheatherbushwithinsixfeetofanother,andlearnedarealbonnytunefromhiswhistling.Thiswasit,”saidhe,andwhistledmetheair.
“Andthen,besides,”hecontinued,“it’snosaebadnowasitwasinforty-six.TheHielandsarewhattheycallpacified.Smallwonder,withneveragunoraswordleftfromCantyretoCapeWrath,butwhattentyfolkhavehiddenintheirthatch!ButwhatIwouldliketoken,David,isjusthowlong?Notlong,yewouldthink,withmenlikeArdshielinexileandmenliketheRedFoxsittingbirlingthewineandoppressingthepoorathome.Butit’sakittlethingtodecidewhatfolk’llbear,andwhattheywillnot
