The sun was not long up , and shone straight in our eyes ; a little , thin mist went up from the face of the moorland like a smoke ; so that -LRB- as Alan said -RRB- there might have been twenty squadron of dragoons there and we none the wiser . We sat down , therefore , in a howe of the hill-side till the mist should have risen , and made ourselves a dish of drammach , and held a council of war . `` David , '' said Alan , `` this is the kittle bit . Shall we lie here till it comes night , or shall we risk it , and stave on ahead ? '' `` Well , '' said I , `` I am tired indeed , but I could walk as far again , if that was all . '' `` Ay , but it isnae , '' said Alan , `` nor yet the half . This is how we stand : Appin 's fair death to us . To the south it 's all Campbells , and no to be thought of . To the north ; well , there 's no muckle to be gained by going north ; neither for you , that wants to get to Queensferry , nor yet for me , that wants to get to France . Well , then , we 'll can strike east . '' `` East be it ! '' says I , quite cheerily ; but I was thinking in to myself : `` O , man , if you would only take one point of the compass and let me take any other , it would be the best for both of us . '' `` Well , then , east , ye see , we have the muirs , '' said Alan . `` Once there , David , it 's mere pitch-and-toss . Out on yon bald , naked , flat place , where can a body turn to ? Let the red-coats come over a hill , they can spy you miles away ; and the sorrow 's in their horses ' heels , they would soon ride you down . It 's no good place , David ; and I 'm free to say , it 's worse by daylight than by dark . '' `` Alan , '' said I , `` hear my way of it . Appin 's death for us ; we have none too much money , nor yet meal ; the longer they seek , the nearer they may guess where we are ; it 's all a risk ; and I give my word to go ahead until we drop . '' Alan was delighted .
`` There are whiles , '' said he , `` when ye are altogether too canny and Whiggish to be company for a gentleman like me ; but there come other whiles when ye show yoursel ' a mettle spark ; and it 's then , XXXXX , that I love ye like a brother . ''
Alan Appin Ay Campbells David dragoons drammach isnae kittle muckle