One of them was a tall, powerful man; another short and bent downwards; the third middle sized, and apparently younger than his companions, well made, and active.

Thus much the imperfect light could discover.

They seated themselves in the boat and unmoored it from the pier.
"We must let her drift with the current till we pass the bridge, where the burghers still keep guard; and you know the proverb, 'A Perth arrow hath a perfect flight,'" said the most youthful of the party, who assumed the office of helmsman, and pushed the boat off from the pier; whilst the others took the oars, which were muffled, and rowed with all precaution till they attained the middle of the river; they then ceased their efforts, lay upon their oars, and trusted to the steersman for keeping her in mid channel.
In this manner they passed unnoticed or disregarded beneath the stately Gothic arches of the old bridge, erected by the magnificent patronage of Robert Bruce in 1329, and carried away by an inundation in 1621.
Although they heard the voices of a civic watch, which, since these disturbances commenced, had been nightly maintained in that important pass, no challenge was given; and when they were so far down the stream as to be out of hearing of these guardians of the night, they began to row, but still with precaution, and to converse, though in a low tone.
"You have found a new trade, comrade, since I left you," said one of the rowers to the other.

"I left you engaged in tending a sick knight, and I find you employed in purloining a dead body from the gallows." "A living body, so please your squirehood, Master Buncle, or else my craft hath failed of its purpose." "So I am told, Master Pottercarrier; but, saving your clerkship, unless you tell me your trick, I will take leave to doubt of its success." "A simple toy, Master Buncle, not likely to please a genius so acute as that of your valiancie.

Marry, thus it is.