The shore in face of these islets is altogether waste.  Here is no dwelling of man, and scarce any passage, or at most of vagabond children running at their play.  Gillane is a small place on the far side of the Ness, the folk of Dirleton go to their business in the inland fields, and those of North Berwick straight to the sea-fishing from their haven; so that few parts of the coast are lonelier.  But I mind, as we crawled upon our bellies into that multiplicity of heights and hollows, keeping a bright eye upon all sides, and our hearts hammering at our ribs, there was such a shining of the sun and the sea, such a stir of the wind in the bent grass, and such a bustle of down-popping rabbits and up-flying gulls, that the desert seemed to me like a place alive.  No doubt it was in all ways well chosen for a secret embarcation, if the secret had been kept; and even now that it was out, and the place watched, we were able to creep unperceived to the front of the sandhills, where they look down immediately on the beach and sea.

But here Alan came to a full stop.

“Davie,” said he, “this is a kittle passage!  As long as we lie here we’re safe; but I’m nane sae muckle nearer to my ship or the coast of France.  And as soon as we stand up and signal the brig, it’s another matter.  For where will your gentry be, think ye?”

“Maybe they’re no come yet,” said I.  “And even if they are, there’s one clear matter in our favour.  They’ll be all arranged to take us, that’s true.  But they’ll have arranged for our coming from the east, and here we are upon their west.”

“Ay,” says Alan, “I wish we were in some force, and this was a battle, we would have bonnily out-manoeuvred them!  But it isnae, Davit; and the way it is, is a wee thing less inspiring to Alan Breck.  I swither, Davie.”

“Time flies, Alan,” said I.

“I ken that,” said Alan.  “I ken naething else, as the French folk say.  But this is a dreidful case of heids or tails.  O! if I could but ken where your gentry were!”

“Alan,” said I, “this is no like you.  It’s got to be now or never.”

    “This is no me, quo’ he,”

sang Alan, with a queer face betwixt shame and drollery.

    “Neither you nor me, quo’ he, neither you nor me,
    Wow, na, Johnnie man! neither you nor me.”

And then of a sudden he stood straight up where he was, and with a handkerchief flying in his right hand, marched down upon the beach.  I stood up myself, but lingered behind him, scanning the sandhills to the east.  His appearance was at first unremarked:  Scougal not expecting him so early, and my gentry watching on the other side.  Then they awoke on board the Thistle, and it seemed they had all in readiness, for there was scarce a second’s bustle on the deck before we saw a skiff put round her stern and begin to pull lively for the coast.  Almost at the same moment of time, and perhaps half a mile away towards Gillane Ness, the figure of a man appeared for a blink upon a sandhill, waving with his arms; and though he was gone again in the same flash, the gulls in that part continued a little longer to fly wild.