"Hout," exclaimed another of these discording counsellors,"there's nae great skill needed; just put a lighted peat on theend of a spear, or hayfork, or siclike, and blaw a horn, and crythe gathering-word, and then it's lawful to follow gear intoEngland, and recover it by the strong hand, or to take gear fraesome other Englishman, providing ye lift nae mair than's beenlifted frae you. That's the auld Border law, made at Dundrennan,in the days of the Black Douglas, Deil ane need doubt it. It'sas clear as the sun."

"Come away, then, lads," cried Simon, "get to your geldings, andwe'll take auld Cuddie the muckle tasker wi' us; he kens thevalue o' the stock and plenishing that's been lost. Hobbie'sstalls and stakes shall be fou again or evening; and if we cannabig up the auld house sae soon, we'se lay an English ane as lowas Heugh-foot is--and that's fair play, a' the warld ower."

This animating proposal was received with great applause by theyounger part of the assemblage, when a whisper ran among them,"There's Hobbie himsell, puir fallow! we'll be guided by him."

The principal sufferer, having now reached the bottom of thehill, pushed on through the crowd, unable, from the tumultuousstate of his feelings, to do more than receive and return thegrasps of the friendly arms by which his neighbours and kinsmenmutely expressed their sympathy inside his misfortune. While hepressed Simon of Hackburn's arm, his anxiety at length foundwords. "Thank ye, Simon--thank ye, neighbours--I ken what ye wada' say. But where are they?--Where are--" He stopped, as ifafraid even to name the objects of his enquiry; and with asimilar feeling, his kinsmen, without reply, pointed to the hut,into which Hobbie precipitated himself with the desperate air ofone whom is resolved to know the worst at once. A general andpowerful expression of sympathy accompanied him. "Ah, puirfallow--puir Hobbie!"

"He'll learn the warst o't now!"