As soon as the shearers quit their work and the dusk began to fall , we waded ashore and struck for the Bridge of Stirling , keeping to the fields and under the field fences . The bridge is close under the castle hill , an old , high , narrow bridge with pinnacles along the parapet ; and you may conceive with how much interest I looked upon it , not only as a place famous in history , but as the very doors of salvation to Alan and myself . The moon was not yet up when we came there ; a few lights shone along the front of the fortress , and lower down a few lighted windows in the town ; but it was all mighty still , and there seemed to be no guard upon the passage . I was for pushing straight across ; but Alan was more wary . `` It looks unco ' quiet , '' said he ; `` but for all that we 'll lie down here cannily behind a dyke , and make sure . '' So we lay for about a quarter of an hour , whiles whispering , whiles lying still and hearing nothing earthly but the washing of the water on the piers . At last there came by an old , hobbling woman with a crutch stick ; who first stopped a little , close to where we lay , and bemoaned herself and the long way she had travelled ; and then set forth again up the steep spring of the bridge . The woman was so little , and the night still so dark , that we soon lost sight of her ; only heard the sound of her steps , and her stick , and a cough that she had by fits , draw slowly farther away . `` She 's bound to be across now , '' I whispered . `` Na , '' said Alan , `` her foot still sounds boss * upon the bridge . '' * Hollow . And just then -- `` Who goes ? '' cried a voice , and we heard the butt of a musket rattle on the stones . I must suppose the sentry had been sleeping , so that had we tried , we might have passed unseen ; but he was awake now , and the chance forfeited . `` This 'll never do , '' said Alan . `` This 'll never , never do for us , David . '' And without another word , he began to crawl away through the fields ; and a little after , being well out of eye-shot , got to his feet again , and struck along a road that led to the eastward . I could not conceive what he was doing ; and indeed I was so sharply cut by the disappointment , that I was little likely to be pleased with anything . A moment back and I had seen myself knocking at Mr. Rankeillor 's door to claim my inheritance , like a hero in a ballad ; and here was I back again , a wandering , hunted blackguard , on the wrong side of Forth . `` Well ? ''
said I. `` Well , '' said XXXXX , `` what would ye have ?
Alan David Na Rankeillor Stirling fall first night shearers unco