`` This 'll never , never do for us , David . '' And without another word , he began to crawl away through the fields ; and a little after , being well out of eye-shot , got to his feet again , and struck along a road that led to the eastward . I could not conceive what he was doing ; and indeed I was so sharply cut by the disappointment , that I was little likely to be pleased with anything . A moment back and I had seen myself knocking at Mr. Rankeillor 's door to claim my inheritance , like a hero in a ballad ; and here was I back again , a wandering , hunted blackguard , on the wrong side of Forth . `` Well ? '' said I. `` Well , '' said Alan , `` what would ye have ? They 're none such fools as I took them for . We have still the Forth to pass , Davie -- weary fall the rains that fed and the hillsides that guided it ! '' `` And why go east ? '' said I. `` Ou , just upon the chance ! '' said he . `` If we cannae pass the river , we 'll have to see what we can do for the firth . '' `` There are fords upon the river , and none upon the firth , '' said I. `` To be sure there are fords , and a bridge forbye , '' quoth Alan ; `` and of what service , when they are watched ? '' `` Well , '' said I , `` but a river can be swum . '' `` By them that have the skill of it , '' returned he ; `` but I have yet to hear that either you or me is much of a hand at that exercise ; and for my own part , I swim like a stone . '' `` I 'm not up to you in talking back , Alan , '' I said ; `` but I can see we 're making bad worse . If it 's hard to pass a river , it stands to reason it must be worse to pass a sea . '' `` But there 's such a thing as a boat , '' says Alan , `` or I 'm the more deceived . '' `` Ay , and such a thing as money , '' says I. `` But for us that have neither one nor other , they might just as well not have been invented . '' `` Ye think so ? ''
said XXXXX .
Alan Ay David Davie Ou blackguard eye-shot firth forbye hillsides