swearin' and stampin' to get the fire out. Then I gave the word and we
were on them wi' our pales, usin' the points accordin' to instructions.
My orders was to keep a good distance, for if they had grippit one o' us
he'd ha' been done for. They were roarin' mad by now, and twae had out
their knives, but they couldn't do muckle, for it was gettin' dark, and
they didn't ken the ground like us, and were aye trippin' and tumblin'.
But they pressed us hard, and one o' them landed me an awful clype
on the jaw. They were still aiming at our tents, and I saw that
if they got near the fire again it would be the end o' us.
So I blew my whistle for Thomas Yownie, who was in command o'
the other half of us, with instructions to fall upon their rear.
That brought Thomas up, and the tinklers had to face round about and
fight a battle on two fronts. We charged them and they broke, and the
last seen o' them they were coolin' their burns in the Garple."

"Well done, man. Had you many casualties?"

"We're a' a wee thing battered, but nothing to hurt. I'm the worst,
for one o' them had a grip o' me for about three seconds, and Gosh!
he was fierce."

"They're beaten off for the night, anyway?"

"Ay, for the night. But they'll come back, never fear. That's why
I said that things had come to a cripus."

"What's the news from the House?"

"A quiet day, and no word o' Lean or Dobson."