Is there nae house ? '' `` I 'll find a house to ye , David , '' he said , stoutly . `` We 'll follow down the burn , where there 's bound to be houses . My poor man , will ye no be better on my back ? '' `` O , Alan , '' says I , `` and me a good twelve inches taller ? '' `` Ye 're no such a thing , '' cried Alan , with a start . `` There may be a trifling matter of an inch or two ; I 'm no saying I 'm just exactly what ye would call a tall man , whatever ; and I dare say , '' he added , his voice tailing off in a laughable manner , `` now when I come to think of it , I dare say ye 'll be just about right . Ay , it 'll be a foot , or near hand ; or may be even mair ! '' It was sweet and laughable to hear Alan eat his words up in the fear of some fresh quarrel . I could have laughed , had not my stitch caught me so hard ; but if I had laughed , I think I must have wept too . `` Alan , '' cried I , `` what makes ye so good to me ? What makes ye care for such a thankless fellow ? '' '' ` Deed , and I do n't know '' said Alan . `` For just precisely what I thought I liked about ye , was that ye never quarrelled : -- and now I like ye better ! '' CHAPTER XXV IN BALQUHIDDER At the door of the first house we came to , Alan knocked , which was of no very safe enterprise in such a part of the Highlands as the Braes of Balquhidder . No great clan held rule there ; it was filled and disputed by small septs , and broken remnants , and what they call `` chiefless folk , '' driven into the wild country about the springs of Forth and Teith by the advance of the Campbells . Here were Stewarts and Maclarens , which came to the same thing , for the Maclarens followed Alan 's chief in war , and made but one clan with Appin . Here , too , were many of that old , proscribed , nameless , red-handed clan of the Macgregors . They had always been ill-considered , and now worse than ever , having credit with no side or party in the whole country of Scotland . Their chief , Macgregor of Macgregor , was in exile ; the more immediate leader of that part of them about Balquhidder , James More , Rob Roy 's eldest son , lay waiting his trial in Edinburgh Castle ; they were in ill-blood with Highlander and Lowlander , with the Grahames , the Maclarens , and the Stewarts ; and Alan , who took up the quarrel of any friend , however distant , was extremely wishful to avoid them .
Chance served us very well ; for it was a household of Maclarens that we found , where XXXXX was not only welcome for his name 's sake but known by reputation .
Alan Appin Balquhidder Castle David Highlander Maclarens Scotland septs war