Page:Scott - Tales of my Landlord - 3rd series, vol. 4 - 1819.djvu/44

monish you, as a friend, to trace out a sconce upon that round hill, with a good graffe or ditch, whilk may be easily accomplished by compelling the labour of the boors in the vicinity; it being the custom of the valorous Gustavus Adolphus to fight as much by the spade and shovel, as by sword, pike, and musquet. Also I would advise you to fortify the said sconce, not only by a foussie or graffe, but also by certain stackets or palisades."—(Here Sir Duncan, becoming impatient, left the apartment, the Captain following him to the door, and raising his voice as he retreated, until he was fairly out of hearing.)—"The whilk stackets or palisades should be artificially framed with re-entering angles and loop-holes, or crenelles, for musquetry, whereof it shall arise that the foemen—— The Highland brute! the old Highland brute! They are as proud as peacocks, and as obstinate as tups—and here he has missed an opportunity of making his house as pret-