gae back o' his word, or wager twa hunder merks; and sa he e'en tock the
wager, rather than be shamed wi' the like o' them. And now he's like to
get it to pay, and I'm thinking that's what makes him sae swear to come
hame at e'en."

"Indeed," said Lord Menteith, "from my idea of your family plate,
Donald, your master is certain to lose such a wager."

"Your honour may swear that; an' where he's to get the siller I kenna,
although he borrowed out o' twenty purses. I advised him to pit the twa
Saxon gentlemen and their servants cannily into the pit o' the tower
till they gae up the bagain o' free gude-will, but the Laird winna hear
reason."

Allan here started up, strode forward, and interrupted the conversation,
saying to the domestic in a voice like thunder, "And how dared you to
give my brother such dishonourable advice? or how dare you to say he
will lose this or any other wager which it is his pleasure to lay?"

"Troth, Allan M'Aulay," answered the old man, "it's no for my father's
son to gainsay what your father's son thinks fit to say, an' so the
Laird may no doubt win his wager. A' that I ken against it is, that the
teil a candlestick, or ony thing like it, is in the house, except the
auld airn branches that has been here since Laird Kenneth's time, and
the tin sconces that your father gard be made by auld Willie Winkie the
tinkler, mair be token that deil an unce of siller plate is about the
house at a', forby the lady's auld posset dish, that wants the cover and
ane o' the lugs."

"Peace, old man!" said Allan, fiercely; "and do you, gentlemen, if your