But then Alan , with less than five guineas , had to get as far as France ; I , with my less than two , not beyond Queensferry ; so that taking things in their proportion , Alan 's society was not only a peril to my life , but a burden on my purse . But there was no thought of the sort in the honest head of my companion . He believed he was serving , helping , and protecting me . And what could I do but hold my peace , and chafe , and take my chance of it ? `` It 's little enough , '' said Alan , putting the purse in his pocket , `` but it 'll do my business . And now , John Breck , if ye will hand me over my button , this gentleman and me will be for taking the road . '' But the bouman , after feeling about in a hairy purse that hung in front of him in the Highland manner -LRB- though he wore otherwise the Lowland habit , with sea-trousers -RRB- , began to roll his eyes strangely , and at last said , `` Her nainsel will loss it , '' meaning he thought he had lost it . `` What ! '' cried Alan , `` you will lose my button , that was my father 's before me ? Now I will tell you what is in my mind , John Breck : it is in my mind this is the worst day 's work that ever ye did since ye was born . '' And as Alan spoke , he set his hands on his knees and looked at the bouman with a smiling mouth , and that dancing light in his eyes that meant mischief to his enemies . Perhaps the bouman was honest enough ; perhaps he had meant to cheat and then , finding himself alone with two of us in a desert place , cast back to honesty as being safer ; at least , and all at once , he seemed to find that button and handed it to Alan . `` Well , and it is a good thing for the honour of the Maccolls , '' said Alan , and then to me , `` Here is my button back again , and I thank you for parting with it , which is of a piece with all your friendships to me . '' Then he took the warmest parting of the bouman . `` For , '' says he , `` ye have done very well by me , and set your neck at a venture , and I will always give you the name of a good man . '' Lastly , the bouman took himself off by one way ; and Alan and I -LRB- getting our chattels together -RRB- struck into another to resume our flight . CHAPTER XXII THE FLIGHT IN THE HEATHER : THE MOOR Some seven hours ' incessant , hard travelling brought us early in the morning to the end of a range of mountains . In front of us there lay a piece of low , broken , desert land , which we must now cross . The sun was not long up , and shone straight in our eyes ; a little , thin mist went up from the face of the moorland like a smoke ; so that -LRB- as Alan said -RRB- there might have been twenty squadron of dragoons there and we none the wiser . We sat down , therefore , in a howe of the hill-side till the mist should have risen , and made ourselves a dish of drammach , and held a council of war .
`` David , '' said XXXXX , `` this is the kittle bit .
Alan Breck Highland MOOR XXII guineas hours moorland nainsel sea-trousers