Of all deaths , I would truly like least to die by the gallows ; and the picture of that uncanny instrument came into my head with extraordinary clearness -LRB- as I had once seen it engraved at the top of a pedlar 's ballad -RRB- and took away my appetite for courts of justice . `` I 'll chance it , Alan , '' said I. `` I 'll go with you . '' `` But mind you , '' said Alan , `` it 's no small thing . Ye maun lie bare and hard , and brook many an empty belly . Your bed shall be the moorcock 's , and your life shall be like the hunted deer 's , and ye shall sleep with your hand upon your weapons . Ay , man , ye shall taigle many a weary foot , or we get clear ! I tell ye this at the start , for it 's a life that I ken well . But if ye ask what other chance ye have , I answer : Nane . Either take to the heather with me , or else hang . '' `` And that 's a choice very easily made , '' said I ; and we shook hands upon it . `` And now let 's take another keek at the red-coats , '' says Alan , and he led me to the north-eastern fringe of the wood . Looking out between the trees , we could see a great side of mountain , running down exceeding steep into the waters of the loch . It was a rough part , all hanging stone , and heather , and big scrogs of birchwood ; and away at the far end towards Balachulish , little wee red soldiers were dipping up and down over hill and howe , and growing smaller every minute . There was no cheering now , for I think they had other uses for what breath was left them ; but they still stuck to the trail , and doubtless thought that we were close in front of them . Alan watched them , smiling to himself . `` Ay , '' said he , `` they 'll be gey weary before they 've got to the end of that employ ! And so you and me , David , can sit down and eat a bite , and breathe a bit longer , and take a dram from my bottle . Then we 'll strike for Aucharn , the house of my kinsman , James of the Glens , where I must get my clothes , and my arms , and money to carry us along ; and then , David , we 'll cry , ` Forth , Fortune ! ' and take a cast among the heather . '' So we sat again and ate and drank , in a place whence we could see the sun going down into a field of great , wild , and houseless mountains , such as I was now condemned to wander in with my companion .
Partly as we so sat , and partly afterwards , on the way to Aucharn , each of us narrated his adventures ; and I shall here set down so much of XXXXX 's as seems either curious or needful .
Alan Aucharn Ay Balachulish Glens James birchwood kinsman pedlar red-coats