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I recalled how strong I had expressed myself both to Rankeillor and to Stewart; I reflected that my captivity upon the Bass, in view of a great part of the coasts of Fife and Lothian, was a thing I should be thought more likely to have invented than endured; and in the eyes of these two gentlemen, at least, I must pass for a boaster and a coward.
Be cautious and think twice." "It is to be supposed I will have thought oftener than that, Mr. "Well, well," said he; and then again, "Well, well! I will do what I can for you." Therewith he took a pen and paper, sat awhile in thought, and began to write with much consideration. "I understand that Rankeillor approves of what you have in mind?" he asked presently.
"I will never pretend sorrow," said I; and, to say the truth, during his absence Miss Grant and I had been embellishing the place in fancy with plantations, parterres, and a terrace much as I have since carried out in fact. Thence we pushed to the Queen's Ferry, where Rankeillor gave us a good welcome, being indeed out of the body to receive so great a visitor.
For the life of me I could not muster up the courage to address any of these reputable burghers; I thought shame even to speak with them in such a pickle of rags and dirt; and if I had asked for the house of such a man as Mr. Rankeillor, I suppose they would have burst out laughing in my face.
"Well," said I, "it's to his door that I am bound, so you may judge by that if I am an ill-doer; and I will tell you more, that though I am indeed, by a dreadful error, in some peril of my life, King George has no truer friend in all Scotland than myself." Her face cleared up mightily at this, although Alan's darkened. "That's more than I would ask," said she. "Mr. Rankeillor is a kennt man."
"I did so, sir, for my sins," said I; "for it was by his means and the procurement of my uncle, that I was kidnapped within sight of this town, carried to sea, suffered shipwreck and a hundred other hardships, and stand before you to-day in this poor accoutrement." "You say you were shipwrecked," said Rankeillor; "where was that?"
"Only, sir, that you mentioned a king's name," replied Rankeillor; "and as there has never yet been a King Thomson, or his fame at least has never come my way, I judged you must refer to that you had in baptism." This was just the stab that Alan would feel keenest, and I am free to confess he took it very ill.
All these, and the brig herself, I had outlived; and come through these hardships and fearful perils without scath. My only thought should have been of gratitude; and yet I could not behold the place without sorrow for others and a chill of recollected fear. I was so thinking when, upon a sudden, Mr. Rankeillor cried out, clapped his hand to his pockets, and began to laugh.
I told him I was come to the Queen's Ferry on business, and taking heart of grace, asked him to direct me to the house of Mr. Rankeillor. "Why," said he, "that is his house that I have just come out of; and, for a rather singular chance, I am that very man." "Then, sir," said I, "I have to beg the favour of an interview." "I do not know your name," said he, "nor yet your face."
And yet I was ashamed of the change too, and, above all, of the borrowed clothes. When I had done, Mr. Rankeillor caught me on the stair, made me his compliments, and had me again into the cabinet. "Sit ye down, Mr. David," said he, "and now that you are looking a little more like yourself, let me see if I can find you any news. You will be wondering, no doubt, about your father and your uncle?
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