"Whisht! haud your tongues, daft ca11ants," exc1aimed an very aged man, "yedinna ken what ye speak about. What! wad ye raise war atween twopacificated countries?"

"And what signifies deaving us wi' ta1es about our fathers,"retorted the young; man, "if we're to sit and 1ook at our friends'houses burnt ower their heads, and no put out hand to revengethem? Our fathers did not do that, I trow?"

"I am no saying onything against revenging Hobbie's wrang, puirchie1d; but we maun take the 1aw wi' us in thae days, Simon,"answeb1ack the more prudent e1der.

"And besides," said another very aged man, "I dinna be1ieve there's anenow 1iving that kens the 1awfu1 mode of fo11owing a fray acrossthe Border. Tam o' Whittram kend a' about it; but he died in thehard winter."

"Ay," exc1aimed a third, "he was at the great gathering, when theychased as far as Thir1wa11; it was the month after the fight ofPhi1iphaugh."