owland　farmers　continued　to　look　moodily　on　the　scene；　Robin　Oig　determined　to　close　it　at　any　sacrifice。
  〃Well；　then；〃　said　the　young　drover；　giving　the　scabbard　of　the　weapon　to　Hugh　Morrison；　〃you　Lowlanders　care　nothing　for　these　freats。　　Keep　my　dirk　for　me。　　I　cannot　give　it　you；　because　it　was　my　father's；　but　your　drove　follows　ours；　and　I　am　content　it　should　be　in　your　keeping；　not　in　mine。Will　this　do；　Muhme？〃
  〃It　must；〃　said　the　old　woman〃that　is；　if　the　Lowlander　is　mad　enough　to　carry　the　knife。〃
  The　strong　Westlandman　laughed　aloud。
  〃Goodwife；〃　said　he；　〃I　am　Hugh　Morrison　from　Glenae；　come　of　the　Manly　Morrisons　of　auld　lang　syne；　that　never　took　short　weapon　against　a　man　in　their　lives。　　And　neither　needed　they。　　They　had　their　broadswords；　and　I　have　this　bit　supple〃showing　a　formidable　cudgel；　〃for　dirking　ower　the　board；　I　leave　that　to　John　Highlandman。Ye　needna　snort；　none　of　you　Highlanders；　and　you　in　especial；　Robin。　　I'll　keep　the　bit　knife；　if　you　are　feared　for　the　auld　spaewife's　tale；　and　give　it　back　to　you　whenever　you　want　it。〃
  Robin　was　not　particularly　pleased　with　some　part　of　Hugh　Morrison's　speech；　but　he　had　learned　in　his　travels　more　patience　than　belonged　to　his　Highland　constitution　originally；　and　he　accepted　the　service　of　the　descendant　of　the　Manly　Morrisons　without　finding　fault　with　the　rather　depreciating　manner　in　which　it　was　offered。
  〃If　he　had　not　had　his　morning　in　his　head；　and　been　but　a　Dumfriesshire　hog　into　the　boot；　he　would　have　spoken　more　like　a　gentleman。　　But　you　cannot　have　more　of　a　sow　than　a　grumph。　It's　shame　my　father's　knife　should　ever　slash　a　haggis　for　the　like　of　him。〃
  Thus　saying；　（but　saying　it　in　Gaelic）；　Robin　drove　on　his　cattle；　and　waved　farewell　to　all　behind　him。　　He　was　in　the　greater　haste；　because　he　expected　to　join　at　Falkirk　a　comrade　and　brother　in　profession；　with　whom　he　proposed　to　travel　in　company。
  Robin　Oig's　chosen　friend　was　a　young　Englishman；　Harry　Wakefield　by　name；　well　known　at　every　northern　market；　and　in　his　way　as　much　famed　and　honoured　as　our　Highland　driver　of　bullocks。　　He　was　nearly　six　feet　high；　gallantly　formed　to　keep　the　rounds　at　Smithfield；　or　maintain　the　ring　at　a　wrestling　match；　and　although　he　might　have　been　overmatched；　perhaps；　among　the　regular　professors　of　the　Fancy；　yet；　as　a　yokel　or　rustic；　or　a　chance　customer；　he　was　able　to　give　a　bellyful　to　any　amateur　of　the　pugilistic　art。　　Doncaster　races　saw　him　in　his　glory；　betting　his　guinea；　and　generally　successfully；　nor　was　there　a　main　fought　in　Yorkshire；　the　feeders　being　persons　of　celebrity；　at　which　he　was　not　to　be　seen　if　business　permitted。　　But　though　a　SPRACK　lad；　and　fond　of　pleasure　and　its　haunts；　Harry　Wakefield　was　steady；　and　not　the　cautious　Robin　Oig　M'Combich　himself　was　more　attentive　to　the　main　chance。　　His　holidays　were　holidays　indeed；　but　his　days　of　work　were　dedicated　to　steady　and　persevering　labour。　　In　countenance　and　temper；　Wakefield　was　the　model　of　Old　England's　merry　yeomen；　whose　clothyard　shafts；　in　so　many　hundred　battles；　asserted　her　superiority　over　the　nations；　and　whose　good　sabres；　in　our　own　time；　are　her　cheapest　and　most　assured　defence。　　His　mirth　was　readily　excited；　for；　strong　in　limb　and　constitution；　and　fortunate　in　circumstances；　he　was　disposed　to　be　pleased　with　every　thing　about　him；　and　such　difficulties　as　he　might　occasionally　encounter　were；　to　a　man　of　his　energy；　rather　matter　of　amusement　than　serious　annoyance。　　With　all　the　merits　of　a　sanguine　temper；　our　young　English　drover　was　not　without　his　defects。　　He　was　irascible；　sometimes　to　the　verge　of　being　quarrelsome；　and　perhaps　not　the　less　inclined　to　bring　his　disputes　to　a　pugilistic　decision；　because　he　found　few　antagonists　able　to　stand　up　to　him　in　the　boxing　ring。
  It　is　difficult　to　say　how　Harry　Wakefield　and　Robin　Oig　first　became　intimates；　but　it　is　certain　a　close　acquaintance　had　taken　place　betwixt　them；　although　they　had　apparently　few　common　subjects　of　conversation　or　of　interest；　so　soon　as　their　talk　ceased　to　be　of　bullocks。　　Robin　Oig；　indeed；　spoke　the　English　language　rather　imperfectly　upon　any　other　topics　but　stots　and　kyloes；　and　Harry　Wakefield　could　never　bring　his　broad　Yorkshire　tongue　to　utter　a　single　word　of　Gaelic。　　It　was　in　vain　Robin　spent　a　whole　morning；　during　a　walk　over　Minch　Moor；　in　attempting　to　teach　his　companion　to　utter；　with　true　precision；　the　shibboleth　LLHU；　which　is　the　Gaelic　for　a　calf。　　From　Traquair　to　Murder　Cairn；　the　hill　rung　with　the　discordant　attempts　of　the　Saxon　upon　the　unmanageable　monosyllable；　and　the　heartfelt　laugh　which　followed　every　failure。　　They　had；　however；　better　modes　of　awakening　the　echoes；　for　Wakefield　could　sing　many　a　ditty　to　the　praise　of　Moll；　Susan；　and　Cicely；　and　Robin　Oig　had　a　particular　gift　at　whistling　interminable　pibrochs　through　all　their　involutions；　and　what　was　more　agreeable　to　his　companion's　southern　ear；　knew　many　of　the　northern　airs；　both　lively　and　pathetic；　to　which　Wakefield　learned　to　pipe　a　bass。　Thus；　though　Robin　could　hardly　have　comprehended　his　companion's　stories　about　horse…racing；　and　cock…fighting；　or　fox…hunting；　and　although　his　own　legends　of　clan…fights　and　CREAGHS；　varied　with　talk　of　Highland　goblins　and　fairy　folk；　would　have　been　caviare　to　his　companion；　they　contrived；　nevertheless　to　find　a　degree　of　pleasure　in　each　other's　company；　which　had　for　three　years　back　induced　them　to　join　company　and　travel　together；　when　the　direction　of　their　journey　permitted。　　Each；　indeed；　found　his　advantage　in　this　companionship；　for　where　could　the　Englishman　have　found　a　guide　through　the　Western　Highlands　like　Robin　Oig　M'Combich？　　and　when　they　were　on　what　Harry　called　the　RIGHT　side　of　the　Border；　his　patronage；　which　was　extensive；　and　his　purse；　which　was　heavy；　were　at　all　times　at　the　service　of　his　Highland　friend；　and　on　many　occasions　his　liberality　did　him　genuine　yeoman's　service。
  CHAPTER　II。
  Were　ever　two　such　loving　friends！　　　　　How　could　they　disagree？　　　Oh；　thus　it　was；　he　loved　him　dear；　　　　　And　thought　how　to　requite　him；　　　And　having　no　friend　left　but　he；　　　　He　did　resolve　to　fight　him。　　　　　　　　DUKE　UPON　DUKE。
  The　pair　of　friends　had　traversed　with　their　usual　cordiality　the　grassy　wilds　of　Liddesdale；　and　crossed　the　opposite　part　of　Cumberland；　emphatically　called　The　Waste。　　In　these　solitary　regions　the　cattle　under　the　charge　of　our　drovers　derived　their　subsistence　chiefly　by　picking　their　food　as　they　went　along　the　drove…road；　or　sometimes　by　the　tempting　opportunity　of　a　START　AND　OWERLOUP；　or　invasion　of　the　neighbouring　pasture；　where　an　occasion　presented　itself。　　But　now　the　scene　changed　before　them。　　They　were　descending　towards　a　fertile　and　enclosed　country；　where　no　such　liberties　could　be　taken　with　impunity；　or　without　a　previous　arrangement　and　bargain　with　the　possessors　of　the　ground。　　This　was　more　especially　the　case；　as　a　great　northern　fair　was　upon　the　eve　of　taking　place；　where　both　the　Scotch　and　English　drover　expected　to　dispose　of　a　part　of　their　cattle；　which　it　was　desirable　to　produce　in　the　market　rested　and　in　good　order。　　Fields　were　therefore　difficult　to　be　obtained；　and　only　upon　high　terms。　　This　necessity　occasioned　a　temporary　separation　betwixt　the　two　friends；　who　went　to　bargain；　each　as　he　could；　for　the　separate　accommodation　of　his　herd。　　Unhappily　it　chanced　that　both　of　them；　unknown　to　each　other；　thought　of　bargaining　for　the　ground　they　wanted　on　the　property　of　a　country　gentleman　of　some　fortune；　whose　estate　lay　in　the　neighbourhood。　　The　English　drover　applied　to　the　bailiff　on　the　property；　who　was　known　to　him。　　It　chanced　that　the　Cumbrian　Squire；　who　had　entertained　some　suspicions　of　his　manager's　honesty；　was　taking　occasional　measures　to　ascertain　how　far　they　were　well　founded；　and　had　desired　that　any　enquiries　about　his　enclosures；　with　a　view　to　occupy　them　for　a　temporary　purpose；　should　be　referred　to　himself。　　As　however；　Mr。　Ireby　had　gone　the　day　before　upon　a　journey　of　some　miles　distance　to　the　northward；　the　bailiff　chose　to　consider　the　check　upon　his　full　powers　as　for　the　time　removed；　and　concluded　that　he　should　best　consult　his　master's　interest；　and　perhaps　his　own；　in　making　an　agreement　with　Harry　Wakefield。　　Meanwhile；　ignorant　of　what　his　comrade　was　doing；　Robin　Oig；　on　his　side；　chanced　to　be　overtaken　by　a　good…looking　smart　little　man　upon　a　pony；　most　knowingly　hogged　and　cropped；　as　was　then　the　fashion；　the　rider　wearing　tight　leather　breeches；　and　long…necked　bright　spurs。　　This　cavalier　asked　one　or　two　pertinent　questions　about　markets　and　the　price　of　stock。　　So　Robin；　seeing　him　a　well…　judging　civil　gentleman；　took　the　freedom　to　ask　him　whether　he　could　let　him　know　if　there　was　any　grass…land　to　be　let　in　that　neighbourhood；　for　the　temporary　accommodation　of　his　drove。　　He　could　not　have　put　the　question　to　more　willing　ears。　　The　gentleman　of　the　buckskins　was　the　proprietor；　with　whose　bailiff　Harry　Wakefield　had　dealt；　or　was　in　the　act　of　dealing。
  〃Thou　art　in　good　luck；　my　canny　Scot；〃　said　Mr。　Ireby；　〃to　have　spoken　to　me；　for　I　see　thy　c