We made our last whispered consultations some fifty yards away ; and then the lawyer and Torrance and I crept quietly up and crouched down beside the corner of the house ; and as soon as we were in our places , Alan strode to the door without concealment and began to knock . CHAPTER XXIX I COME INTO MY KINGDOM For some time Alan volleyed upon the door , and his knocking only roused the echoes of the house and neighbourhood . At last , however , I could hear the noise of a window gently thrust up , and knew that my uncle had come to his observatory . By what light there was , he would see Alan standing , like a dark shadow , on the steps ; the three witnesses were hidden quite out of his view ; so that there was nothing to alarm an honest man in his own house . For all that , he studied his visitor awhile in silence , and when he spoke his voice had a quaver of misgiving . `` What 's this ? '' says he . `` This is nae kind of time of night for decent folk ; and I hae nae trokings * wi ' night-hawks . What brings ye here ? I have a blunderbush . '' * Dealings . `` Is that yoursel ' , Mr. Balfour ? '' returned Alan , stepping back and looking up into the darkness . `` Have a care of that blunderbuss ; they 're nasty things to burst . '' `` What brings ye here ? and whae are ye ? '' says my uncle , angrily . `` I have no manner of inclination to rowt out my name to the country-side , '' said Alan ; `` but what brings me here is another story , being more of your affair than mine ; and if ye 're sure it 's what ye would like , I 'll set it to a tune and sing it to you . '' `` And what is ` t ? '' asked my uncle .
`` David , '' says XXXXX .
Alan Balfour XXIX blunderbush blunderbuss country-side misgiving night-hawks whae yoursel