His wife sat by the fire and wept , with her face in her hands ; his eldest son was crouched upon the floor , running over a great mass of papers and now and again setting one alight and burning it to the bitter end ; all the while a servant lass with a red face was rummaging about the room , in a blind hurry of fear , and whimpering as she went ; and every now and again one of the men would thrust in his face from the yard , and cry for orders . At last James could keep his seat no longer , and begged my permission to be so unmannerly as walk about . `` I am but poor company altogether , sir , '' says he , `` but I can think of nothing but this dreadful accident , and the trouble it is like to bring upon quite innocent persons . '' A little after he observed his son burning a paper which he thought should have been kept ; and at that his excitement burst out so that it was painful to witness . He struck the lad repeatedly . `` Are you gone gyte ? '' * he cried . `` Do you wish to hang your father ? '' and forgetful of my presence , carried on at him a long time together in the Gaelic , the young man answering nothing ; only the wife , at the name of hanging , throwing her apron over her face and sobbing out louder than before . * Mad . This was all wretched for a stranger like myself to hear and see ; and I was right glad when Alan returned , looking like himself in his fine French clothes , though -LRB- to be sure -RRB- they were now grown almost too battered and withered to deserve the name of fine . I was then taken out in my turn by another of the sons , and given that change of clothing of which I had stood so long in need , and a pair of Highland brogues made of deer-leather , rather strange at first , but after a little practice very easy to the feet . By the time I came back Alan must have told his story ; for it seemed understood that I was to fly with him , and they were all busy upon our equipment . They gave us each a sword and pistols , though I professed my inability to use the former ; and with these , and some ammunition , a bag of oatmeal , an iron pan , and a bottle of right French brandy , we were ready for the heather . Money , indeed , was lacking . I had about two guineas left ; Alan 's belt having been despatched by another hand , that trusty messenger had no more than seventeen-pence to his whole fortune ; and as for James , it appears he had brought himself so low with journeys to Edinburgh and legal expenses on behalf of the tenants , that he could only scrape together three-and-five-pence-halfpenny , the most of it in coppers . `` This 'll no do , '' said Alan . `` Ye must find a safe bit somewhere near by , '' said James , `` and get word sent to me . Ye see , ye 'll have to get this business prettily off , Alan . This is no time to be stayed for a guinea or two .
They 're sure to get wind of ye , sure to seek ye , and by my way of it , sure to lay on ye the wyte of this day 's XXXXX .
Alan Edinburgh French James accident coppers deer-leather fire first gyte