Higher up the glen , where the ground was more open , the chain of posts was continued by horse-soldiers , whom we could see in the distance riding to and fro . Lower down , the infantry continued ; but as the stream was suddenly swelled by the confluence of a considerable burn , they were more widely set , and only watched the fords and stepping-stones . I took but one look at them , and ducked again into my place . It was strange indeed to see this valley , which had lain so solitary in the hour of dawn , bristling with arms and dotted with the red coats and breeches . `` Ye see , '' said Alan , `` this was what I was afraid of , Davie : that they would watch the burn-side . They began to come in about two hours ago , and , man ! but ye 're a grand hand at the sleeping ! We 're in a narrow place . If they get up the sides of the hill , they could easy spy us with a glass ; but if they 'll only keep in the foot of the valley , we 'll do yet . The posts are thinner down the water ; and , come night , we 'll try our hand at getting by them . '' `` And what are we to do till night ? '' I asked . `` Lie here , '' says he , `` and birstle . '' That one good Scotch word , `` birstle , '' was indeed the most of the story of the day that we had now to pass . You are to remember that we lay on the bare top of a rock , like scones upon a girdle ; the sun beat upon us cruelly ; the rock grew so heated , a man could scarce endure the touch of it ; and the little patch of earth and fern , which kept cooler , was only large enough for one at a time . We took turn about to lie on the naked rock , which was indeed like the position of that saint that was martyred on a gridiron ; and it ran in my mind how strange it was , that in the same climate and at only a few days ' distance , I should have suffered so cruelly , first from cold upon my island and now from heat upon this rock . All the while we had no water , only raw brandy for a drink , which was worse than nothing ; but we kept the bottle as cool as we could , burying it in the earth , and got some relief by bathing our breasts and temples . The soldiers kept stirring all day in the bottom of the valley , now changing guard , now in patrolling parties hunting among the rocks . These lay round in so great a number , that to look for men among them was like looking for a needle in a bottle of hay ; and being so hopeless a task , it was gone about with the less care . Yet we could see the soldiers pike their bayonets among the heather , which sent a cold thrill into my vitals ; and they would sometimes hang about our rock , so that we scarce dared to breathe .
It was in this way that I XXXXX heard the right English speech ; one fellow as he went by actually clapping his hand upon the sunny face of the rock on which we lay , and plucking it off again with an oath .
Davie Scotch birstle burn confluence first fro horse-soldiers night stepping-stones