Now I will tell you what I am thinking . I am thinking that it is here upon this doorstep that we must confer upon this business ; and it shall be here or nowhere at all whatever ; for I would have you to understand that I am as stiffnecked as yoursel ' , and a gentleman of better family . '' This change of note disconcerted Ebenezer ; he was a little while digesting it , and then says he , `` Weel , weel , what must be must , '' and shut the window . But it took him a long time to get down-stairs , and a still longer to undo the fastenings , repenting -LRB- I dare say -RRB- and taken with fresh claps of fear at every second step and every bolt and bar . At last , however , we heard the creak of the hinges , and it seems my uncle slipped gingerly out and -LRB- seeing that Alan had stepped back a pace or two -RRB- sate him down on the top doorstep with the blunderbuss ready in his hands . `` And , now '' says he , `` mind I have my blunderbush , and if ye take a step nearer ye 're as good as deid . '' `` And a very civil speech , '' says Alan , `` to be sure . '' `` Na , '' says my uncle , `` but this is no a very chanty kind of a proceeding , and I 'm bound to be prepared . And now that we understand each other , ye 'll can name your business . '' `` Why , '' says Alan , `` you that are a man of so much understanding , will doubtless have perceived that I am a Hieland gentleman . My name has nae business in my story ; but the county of my friends is no very far from the Isle of Mull , of which ye will have heard . It seems there was a ship lost in those parts ; and the next day a gentleman of my family was seeking wreck-wood for his fire along the sands , when he came upon a lad that was half drowned . Well , he brought him to ; and he and some other gentleman took and clapped him in an auld , ruined castle , where from that day to this he has been a great expense to my friends . My friends are a wee wild-like , and not so particular about the law as some that I could name ; and finding that the lad owned some decent folk , and was your born nephew , Mr. Balfour , they asked me to give ye a bit call and confer upon the matter . And I may tell ye at the off-go , unless we can agree upon some terms , ye are little likely to set eyes upon him . For my friends , '' added Alan , simply , `` are no very well off . '' My uncle cleared his throat . `` I 'm no very caring , '' says he . `` He wasnae a good lad at the best of it , and I 've nae call to interfere . '' `` Ay , ay , '' said Alan , `` I see what ye would be at : pretending ye do n't care , to make the ransom smaller . ''
`` XXXXX , '' said my uncle , `` it 's the mere truth .
Ay Balfour Ebenezer Hieland Na Weel auld blunderbush drowned off-go