Even now we were on the rock he said nothing, nor so much as relaxed the frowning look upon his face; but clapped flat down, and keeping only one eye above the edge of our place of shelter scouted all round the compass.

The dawn had come quite, clear; we could see the stony sides of the valley, and its bottom, which was bestrewed with rocks, and the river, which went from one side to another, and made white falls; but nowhere the smoke of a house, nor any living creature but some eagles screaming round a cliff.
Then at last Alan smiled.
"Ay" said he, "now we have a chance;" and then looking at me with some amusement.

"Ye're no very gleg* at the jumping," said he.
* Brisk.
At this I suppose I coloured with mortification, for he added at once, "Hoots! small blame to ye! To be feared of a thing and yet to do it, is what makes the prettiest kind of a man.

And then there was water there, and water's a thing that dauntons even me.

No, no," said Alan, "it's no you that's to blame, it's me." I asked him why.
"Why," said he, "I have proved myself a gomeral this night.