A thicket of the latter description crowned the hill up which the party ascended.

The foremost of the band, being the stoutest and most active, had pushed on, and having surmounted the ascent, were out of ken for the present.

Gilfillan, with the pedlar, and the small party who were Waverley's more immediate guard, were near the top of the ascent, and the remainder straggled after them at a considerable interval.
Such was the situation of matters, when the pedlar, missing, as he said, a little doggie which belonged to him, began to halt and whistle for the animal.

This signal, repeated more than once, gave offence to the rigour of his companion, the rather because it appeared to indicate inattention to the treasures of theological and controversial knowledge which was pouring out for his edification.

He therefore signified gruffly, that he could not waste his time in waiting for a useless cur.
'But if your honour wad consider the case of Tobit'-- 'Tobit!' exclaimed Gilfillan, with great heat; 'Tobit and his dog baith are altogether heathenish and apocryphal, and none but a prelatist or a papist would draw them into question.