〃Saul　of　my　pody；　put　you　are　wrang　there；　my　friend；〃　answered　Robin；　with　composure；　〃it　is　your　fat　Englishmen　that　eat　up　our　Scots　cattle；　puir　things。〃
  〃I　wish　there　was　a　summat　to　eat　up　their　drovers；〃　said　another；　〃a　plain　Englishman　canna　make　bread　within　a　kenning　of　them。〃
  〃Or　an　honest　servant　keep　his　master's　favour　but　they　will　come　sliding　in　between　him　and　the　sunshine；〃　said　the　bailiff。
  〃If　these　pe　jokes；〃　said　Robin　Oig；　with　the　same　composure；　〃there　is　ower　mony　jokes　upon　one　man。〃
  〃It　is　no　joke；　but　downright　earnest；〃　said　the　bailiff。　〃Harkye；　Mr。　Robin　Ogg；　or　whatever　is　your　name；　it's　right　we　should　tell　you　that　we　are　all　of　one　opinion；　and　that　is；　that　you；　Mr。　Robin　Ogg；　have　behaved　to　our　friend　Mr。　Harry　Wakefield　here；　like　a　raff　and　a　blackguard。〃
  〃Nae　doubt；　nae　doubt；〃　answered　Robin；　with　great　composure；　〃and　you　are　a　set　of　very　pretty　judges；　for　whose　prains　or　pehaviour　I　wad　not　gie　a　pinch　of　sneeshing。　　If　Mr。　Harry　Waakfelt　kens　where　he　is　wranged；　he　kens　where　he　may　be　righted。〃
  〃He　speaks　truth；〃　said　Wakefield；　who　had　listened　to　what　passed；　divided　between　the　offence　which　he　had　taken　at　Robin's　late　behaviour；　and　the　revival　of　his　habitual　feelings　of　regard。
  He　now　rose；　and　went　towards　Robin；　who　got　up　from　his　seat　as　he　approached；　and　held　out　his　hand。
  〃That's　right；　Harrygo　itserve　him　out；〃　resounded　on　all　sides〃tip　him　the　nailershow　him　the　mill。〃
  〃Hold　your　peace　all　of　you；　and　be；〃　said　Wakefield；　and　then　addressing　his　comrade；　he　took　him　by　the　extended　hand；　with　something　alike　of　respect　and　defiance。　　〃Robin；〃　he　said；　〃thou　hast　used　me　ill　enough　this　day；　but　if　you　mean；　like　a　frank　fellow；　to　shake　hands；　and　take　a　tussle　for　love　on　the　sod；　why　I'll　forgie　thee；　man；　and　we　shall　be　better　friends　than　ever。〃
  〃And　would　it　not　pe　petter　to　pe　cood　friends　without　more　of　the　matter？〃　　said　Robin；　〃we　will　be　much　petter　friendships　with　our　panes　hale　than　proken。〃
  Harry　Wakefield　dropped　the　hand　of　his　friend；　or　rather　threw　it　from　him。
  〃I　did　not　think　I　had　been　keeping　company　for　three　years　with　a　coward。〃
  〃Coward　pelongs　to　none　of　my　name；〃　said　Robin；　whose　eyes　began　to　kindle；　but　keeping　the　command　of　his　temper。　　〃It　was　no　coward's　legs　or　hands；　Harry　Waakfelt；　that　drew　you　out　of　the　fords　of　Frew；　when　you　was　drifting　ower　the　plack　rock；　and　every　eel　in　the　river　expected　his　share　of　you。〃
  〃And　that　is　true　enough；　too；〃　said　the　Englishman；　struck　by　the　appeal。
  〃Adzooks！〃　　exclaimed　the　bailiff〃sure　Harry　Wakefield；　the　nattiest　lad　at　Whitson　Tryste；　Wooler　Fair；　Carlisle　Sands；　or　Stagshaw　Bank；　is　not　going　to　show　white　feather？　　Ah；　this　comes　of　living　so　long　with　kilts　and　bonnetsmen　forget　the　use　of　their　daddles。〃
  〃I　may　teach　you；　Master　Fleecebumpkin；　that　I　have　not　lost　the　use　of　mine；〃　said　Wakefield　and　then　went　on。　　〃This　will　never　do；　Robin。　　We　must　have　a　turn…up；　or　we　shall　be　the　talk　of　the　country…side。　　I'll　be　dd　if　I　hurt　theeI'll　put　on　the　gloves　gin　thou　like。　　Come；　stand　forward　like　a　man。〃
  〃To　be　peaten　like　a　dog；〃　said　Robin；　〃is　there　any　reason　in　that？　　If　you　think　I　have　done　you　wrong；　I'll　go　before　your　shudge；　though　I　neither　know　his　law　nor　his　language。〃
  A　general　cry　of　〃No；　nono　law；　no　lawyer！　　a　bellyful　and　be　friends；〃　was　echoed　by　the　bystanders。
  〃But；〃　continued　Robin；　〃if　I　am　to　fight；　I　have　no　skill　to　fight　like　a　jackanapes；　with　hands　and　nails。〃
  〃How　would　you　fight　then？〃　　said　his　antagonist；　〃though　I　am　thinking　it　would　be　hard　to　bring　you　to　the　scratch　anyhow。〃
  〃I　would　fight　with　proadswords；　and　sink　point　on　the　first　plood　drawnlike　a　gentlemans。〃
  A　loud　shout　of　laughter　followed　the　proposal；　which　indeed　had　rather　escaped　from　poor　Robin's　swelling　heart；　than　been　the　dictate　of　his　sober　judgment。
  〃Gentleman；　quotha！〃　　was　echoed　on　all　sides；　with　a　shout　of　unextinguishable　laughter；　〃a　very　pretty　gentleman；　God　wot。　Canst　get　two　swords　for　the　gentleman　to　fight　with；　Ralph　Heskett？〃
  〃No；　but　I　can　send　to　the　armoury　at　Carlisle；　and　lend　them　two　forks；　to　be　making　shift　with　in　the　meantime。〃
  〃Tush；　man；〃　said　another；　〃the　bonny　Scots　come　into　the　world　with　the　blue　bonnet　on　their　heads；　and　dirk　and　pistol　at　their　belt。〃
  〃Best　send　post；〃　said　Mr。　Fleecebumpkin；　〃to　the　Squire　of　Corby　Castle；　to　come　and　stand　second　to　the　GENTLEMAN。〃
  In　the　midst　of　this　torrent　of　general　ridicule；　the　Highlander　instinctively　griped　beneath　the　folds　of　his　plaid；
  〃But　it's　better　not；〃　he　said　in　his　own　language。　　〃A　hundred　curses　on　the　swine…eaters；　who　know　neither　decency　nor　civility！〃
  〃Make　room；　the　pack　of　you；〃　he　said；　advancing　to　the　door。
  But　his　former　friend　interposed　his　sturdy　bulk；　and　opposed　his　leaving　the　house；　and　when　Robin　Oig　attempted　to　make　his　way　by　force；　he　hit　him　down　on　the　floor；　with　as　much　ease　as　a　boy　bowls　down　a　nine…pin。
  〃A　ring；　a　ring！〃　　was　now　shouted；　until　the　dark　rafters；　and　the　hams　that　hung　on　them；　trembled　again；　and　the　very　platters　on　the　BINK　clattered　against　each　other。　　〃Well　done；　Harry〃　〃Give　it　him　home；　Harry〃〃Take　care　of　him　nowhe　sees　his　own　blood！〃
  Such　were　the　exclamations；　while　the　Highlander；　starting　from　the　ground；　all　his　coldness　and　caution　lost　in　frantic　rage；　sprung　at　his　antagonist　with　the　fury；　the　activity；　and　the　vindictive　purpose　of　an　incensed　tiger…cat。　　But　when　could　rage　encounter　science　and　temper？　　Robin　Oig　again　went　down　in　the　unequal　contest；　and　as　the　blow　was　necessarily　a　severe　one；　he　lay　motionless　on　the　floor　of　the　kitchen。　　The　landlady　ran　to　offer　some　aid；　but　Mr。　Fleecebumpkin　would　not　permit　her　to　approach。
  〃Let　him　alone；〃　he　said；　〃he　will　come　to　within　time；　and　come　up　to　the　scratch　again。　　He　has　not　got　half　his　broth　yet。〃
  〃He　has　got　all　I　mean　to　give　him；　though；〃　said　his　antagonist；　whose　heart　began　to　relent　towards　his　old　associate；　〃and　I　would　rather　by　half　give　the　rest　to　yourself；　Mr。　Fleecebumpkin；　for　you　pretend　to　know　a　thing　or　two；　and　Robin　had　not　art　enough　even　to　peel　before　setting　to；　but　fought　with　his　plaid　dangling　about　him。Stand　up；　Robin；　my　man！　　All　friends　now；　and　let　me　hear　the　man　that　will　speak　a　word　against　you；　or　your　country；　for　your　sake。〃
  Robin　Oig　was　still　under　the　dominion　of　his　passion；　and　eager　to　renew　the　onset；　but　being　withheld　on　the　one　side　by　the　peacemaking　Dame　Heskett；　and　on　the　other；　aware　that　Wakefield　no　longer　meant　to　renew　the　combat；　his　fury　sunk　into　gloomy　sullenness。
  〃Come；　come；　never　grudge　so　much　at　it；　man；〃　said　the　brave…　spirited　Englishman；　with　the　placability　of　his　country；　〃shake　hands；　and　we　will　be　better　friends　than　ever。〃
  〃Friends！〃　　exclaimed　Robin　Oig　with　strong　emphasis〃friends！　Never。　　Look　to　yourself；　Harry　Waakfelt。〃
  〃Then　the　curse　of　Cromwell　on　your　proud　Scots　stomach；　as　the　man　says　in　the　play；　and　you　may　do　your　worst；　and　be　dd；　for　one　man　can　say　nothing　more　to　another　after　a　tussle；　than　that　he　is　sorry　for　it。〃
  On　these　terms　the　friends　parted。　　Robin　Oig　drew　out；　in　silence；　a　piece　of　money；　threw　it　on　the　table；　and　then　left　the　alehouse。　　But　turning　at　the　door；　he　shook　his　hand　at　Wakefield；　pointing　with　his　forefinger　upwards；　in　a　manner　which　might　imply　either　a　threat　or　a　caution。　　He　then　disappeared　in　the　moonlight。
  Some　words　passed　after　his　departure；　between　the　bailiff；　who　piqued　himself　on　being　a　little　of　a　bully；　and　Harry　Wakefield；　who；　with　generous　inconsistency；　was　now　not　indisposed　to　begin　a　new　combat　in　defence　of　Robin　Oig's　reputation；　〃although　he　could　not　use　his　daddles　like　an　Englishman；　as　it　did　not　come　natural　to　him。〃　　But　Dame　Heskett　prevented　this　second　quarrel　from　coming　to　a　head　by　her　peremptory　interference。　　〃There　should　be　no　more　fighting　in　her　house；〃　she　said；　〃there　had　been　too　much　already。And　you；　Mr。　Wakefield；　may　live　to　learn；〃　she　added；　〃what　it　is　to　make　a　deadly　enemy　out　of　a　good　friend。〃
  〃Pshaw；　dame！　　Robin　Oig　is　an　honest　fellow；　and　will　never　keep　malice。〃
  〃Do　not　trust　to　that；　you　do　not　know　the　dour　temper　of　the　Scots；　though　you　have　dealt　with　them　so　often。　　I　have　a　right　to　know　them；　my　mother　being　a　Scot。〃
  〃And　so　is　well　seen　on　her　daughter；〃　said　Ralph　Heskett。
  This　nuptial　sarcasm　gave　the　discourse　another　turn。　　Fresh　customers　entered　the　tap…room　or　kitchen；　and　others　left　it。　The　conversation　turned　on　the　expected　markets；　and　the　report　of　prices　from　different　parts　both　of　Scotland　and　England。　Treaties　were　commenced；　and　Harry　Wakefield　was　lucky　enough　to　find　a　chap　for　a　part　of　his　drove；　and　at　a　very　considerable　profitan　event　of　consequence　more　than　sufficient　to　blot　out　all　remembrances　of　the　unpleasant　scuffle　in　the　earlier　part　of　the　day。　　But　there　remained　one　party　from　whose　mind　that　recollection　could　not　have　been　wiped　away　by　the　possession　of　every　head　of　cattle　betwixt　Esk　and　Eden。
  This　was　Robin　Oig　M'Combich。　　〃That　I　should　have　had　no　weapon；〃　he　said；　〃an