They feasted together the whole day; and in the evening, as Allan-a-Sop was about to retire to his ships, he thanked the Laird of MacKinnon for his entertainment, but remarked, with a sigh, that it had cost him very dear.  “How can that be” said MacKinnon, “when I bestowed this entertainment upon you in free good-will?”—­“It is true, my friend,” replied the pirate, “but then it has quite disconcerted the purpose for which I came hither; which was to put you to death, my good friend, and seize upon your house and island, and so settle myself in the world.  It would have been very convenient, this island, but your friendly reception has rendered it impossible for me to execute my purpose; so that I must be a wanderer on the seas for some time longer.”  Whatever MacKinnon felt at hearing that he had been so near to destruction, he took care to show no emotion save surprise, and replied to his visiter,—­“My dear Allan, who was it that put into your mind so unkind a purpose towards your old friend; for I am sure it never arose from your own generous nature?  It must have been your father-in-law, old Torloisk, who made such an indifferent husband to your mother, and such an unfriendly stepfather to you when you were a helpless boy; but now, when he sees you a bold and powerful leader, he desires to make a quarrel betwixt you and those who were the friends of your youth.  If you consider this matter rightly, Allan, you will see that the estate and harbour of Torloisk lie as conveniently for you as those of Ulva, and that, if you are to make a settlement by force, it is much better it should be at the expense of the old churl, who never showed you kindness or countenance, than at that of a friend like me, who always loved and honoured you.”

Allan-a-Sop was struck with the justice of this reasoning; and the old offence of his scalded fingers was suddenly recalled to his mind.  “It is very true what you say, MacKinnon,” he replied, “and, besides, I have not forgotten what a hot breakfast my father-in-law treated me to one morning.  Farewell for the present; you shall soon hear news of me from the other side of the Sound.”  Having said thus much, the pirate got on board, and commanding his men to unmoor the galleys, sailed back to Torloisk, and prepared to land in arms.  His father-in-law hastened to meet him, in expectation to hear of the death of his enemy, MacKinnon.  But Allan greeted him in a very different manner from what he expected.  “You hoary old traitor,” he said, “you instigated my simple good-nature to murder a better man than yourself.  But have you forgotten how you scorched my fingers twenty years ago, with a burning cake?  The day is come that that breakfast must be paid for.”  So saying, he dashed out his father-in-law’s brains with a battle-axe, took possession of his castle and property, and established there a distinguished branch of the clan of MacLean.—­Tales of a Grandfather—­Second Series.

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