“Pooch, a dizzen o’ them, my lort!” replied M’Kay in the same under-tone.  “It’s twa bits o’ shachlin’ podies no wors speakin’ aboot.”

“But they are armed, John—­they have guns and bayonets; and the former are loaded.”

“Pooch, their guns! what’ll sicknify their guns, my lort, when I’ll have cot a hold o’ the craturs themsels in my hants?” and he held out his enormous brown paws as if to certify their power.  “I’ll crush the podies like a mussel shells.”

“No violence, John, remember,” said Lord Rae energetically, but smiling as he spoke,—­“that is, to the extent of doing the men any, the smallest personal injury.  Remember now, John; do otherwise,” continued his lordship in a more severe tone, “and you forfeit my favour and esteem for ever.  Mark, John, besides,” added his lordship, who seemed most anxious on the point which he was now pressing on M’Kay’s consideration, “your doing any injury to these men would be destruction to me; for, under such circumstances, the general would not grant me a protection after I was out, and my case would otherwise be rendered infinitely worse and more hopeless than it is.  Now, remember all this, John, and do the men no personal injury, I charge you.”

John’s face reddened a little at the earnestness with which these injunctions were delivered, and probably he thought they indicated something like degeneracy in his chief; but he promised compliance with his commands; and, to render his obedience more certain, by lessening the temptation to infringe them, he denuded himself of a concealed dirk, which he always carried about him, over and above the arms he openly wore.  Of this proceeding, which was voluntary on M’Kay’s part, his master highly approved, but, smiling, said—­

“You have still your fists, John, nearly as dangerous weapons as that you have just laid aside; but I hope you will use them sparingly.”

John smiled, and promised he would.

In a few minutes afterwards M’Kay came forth from Lord Rae’s apartment to perform the daring feat of securing two armed men by the mere force of physical strength; for he was now without weapon of any kind.  When he came out, however, it was with an appearance of the most friendly feeling towards the soldiers.  He came out smiling graciously, and entered into familiar chat with the men, alleging that he came to put off the time till his master had written a letter which he was to deliver to a person in town.

Thrown off their guard by M’Kay’s jocular and cordial manner, the soldiers grounded their muskets, and began to enter in earnest into the conversation which he was promoting.  M’Kay, in the meantime, was watching his opportunity to seize them; but this, as it was necessary he should be placed, with regard to them, so as to have one on either side of him, that he might grasp both at the same instant, he did not obtain for some time.