had come in during the fray. "I saw the Lord Keeper's servants drinking and driving ower at Luckie Sma'trash's, ower by yonder."
"And is their maister up at Wolf's Crag?" said Girder.
"Ay, troth is he," replied his man of confidence.
"An friends wi' Ravenswood?"
"It's like sae," answered the foreman, "since he is putting up wi' him."
"And Peter Puncheon's dead?"
"Ay, ay—he has leaked out at last, the auld carle," said the foreman; "mony a dribble o' brandy has gaen through him in his day.—But as for the broche and the wild-fowl, the saddle's no aff your mare yet, maister, and I could follow and bring it back, for Mr Balderstone's no far aff the town yet."
"Do sae, Will—and come here—I'll tell ye what to do when ye owertake him."
He relieved the females of his presence, and gave Will his private instructions.
