If it was otherwise, I would go down to Koalisnacoan whatever, and trust my life into these people's hands as lightly as I would trust another with my glove." "But being so ?" said I.
"Being so," said he, "I would as lief they didnae see me.

There's bad folk everywhere, and what's far worse, weak ones.

So when it comes dark again, I will steal down into that clachan, and set this that I have been making in the window of a good friend of mine, John Breck Maccoll, a bouman* of Appin's." *A bouman is a tenant who takes stock from the landlord and shares with him the increase.
"With all my heart," says I; "and if he finds it, what is he to think ?" "Well," says Alan, "I wish he was a man of more penetration, for by my troth I am afraid he will make little enough of it! But this is what I have in my mind.

This cross is something in the nature of the crosstarrie, or fiery cross, which is the signal of gathering in our clans; yet he will know well enough the clan is not to rise, for there it is standing in his window, and no word with it.

So he will say to himsel', THE CLAN IS NOT TO RISE, BUT THERE IS SOMETHING.