This was a farm about half a mile inland, and when we reached it we lay down by the stack-yard gate and panted.
'I've lost my lantern,' said Tam.

'The big black brute! See if I don't tell my father.' 'Ye'll do nothing of the kind,' said Archie fiercely.

'He knows nothing about us and can't do us any harm.

But if the story got out and he found out who we were, he'd murder the lot of US.' He made us swear secrecy, which we were willing enough to do, seeing very clearly the sense in his argument.

Then we struck the highroad and trotted back at our best pace to Kirkcaple, fear of our families gradually ousting fear of pursuit.