But I 'll tell ye what ye would do , ye would help . '' `` I couldnae , '' said she , shaking her head . `` Na , I couldnae . '' `` No , '' said he , `` but if ye could ? '' She answered him nothing . `` Look here , my lass , '' said Alan , `` there are boats in the Kingdom of Fife , for I saw two -LRB- no less -RRB- upon the beach , as I came in by your town 's end . Now if we could have the use of a boat to pass under cloud of night into Lothian , and some secret , decent kind of a man to bring that boat back again and keep his counsel , there would be two souls saved -- mine to all likelihood -- his to a dead surety . If we lack that boat , we have but three shillings left in this wide world ; and where to go , and how to do , and what other place there is for us except the chains of a gibbet -- I give you my naked word , I kenna ! Shall we go wanting , lassie ? Are ye to lie in your warm bed and think upon us , when the wind gowls in the chimney and the rain tirls on the roof ? Are ye to eat your meat by the cheeks of a red fire , and think upon this poor sick lad of mine , biting his finger ends on a blae muir for cauld and hunger ? Sick or sound , he must aye be moving ; with the death grapple at his throat he must aye be trailing in the rain on the lang roads ; and when he gants his last on a rickle of cauld stanes , there will be nae friends near him but only me and God . '' At this appeal , I could see the lass was in great trouble of mind , being tempted to help us , and yet in some fear she might be helping malefactors ; and so now I determined to step in myself and to allay her scruples with a portion of the truth . `` Did ever you hear , '' said I , `` of Mr. Rankeillor of the Ferry ? '' `` Rankeillor the writer ? '' said she . `` I daur say that ! '' `` Well , '' said I , `` it 's to his door that I am bound , so you may judge by that if I am an ill-doer ; and I will tell you more , that though I am indeed , by a dreadful error , in some peril of my life , King George has no truer friend in all Scotland than myself . '' Her face cleared up mightily at this , although Alan 's darkened . `` That 's more than I would ask , '' said she .
`` Mr. XXXXX is a kennt man . ''
George Na Rankeillor Scotland fire gowls left malefactors stanes tirls