All precautions to blockade his view were from that time abandoned, and he was not only permitted, but assisted to rise and quit what had been, in a literal sense, his couch of confinement.  But he was not allowed to leave the hut; for the young Highlander had now rejoined his senior, and one or other was constantly on the watch.  Whenever Waverley approached the cottage door, the sentinel upon duty civilly, but resolutely, placed himself against it and opposed his exit, accompanying his action with signs which seemed to imply there was danger in the attempt, and an enemy in the neighbourhood.  Old Janet appeared anxious and upon the watch; and Waverley, who had not yet recovered strength enough to attempt to take his departure in spite of the opposition of his hosts, was under the necessity of remaining patient.  His fare was, in every point of view, better than he could have conceived; for poultry, and even wine, were no strangers to his table.  The Highlanders never presumed to eat with him, and unless in the circumstance of watching him, treated him with great respect.  His sole amusement was gazing from the window, or rather the shapeless aperture which was meant to answer the purpose of a window, upon large and rough brook, which raged and foamed through a rocky channel, closely canopied with trees and bushes, about ten feet beneath the site of his house of captivity.

Upon the sixth day of his confinement, Waverley found himself so well, that he began to meditate his escape from this dull and miserable prison-house, thinking any risk which he might incur in the attempt preferable to the stupefying and intolerable uniformity of Janet’s retirement.  The question indeed occurred, whither he was to direct his course when again at his own disposal.  Two schemes seemed practicable, yet both attended with danger and difficulty.  One was to go back to Glennaquoich, and join Fergus Mac-Ivor, by whom he was sure to be kindly received; and in the present state of his mind, the rigour with which he had been treated fully absolved him, in his own eyes, from his allegiance to the existing government.  The other project was to endeavour to attain a Scottish seaport, and thence to take shipping for England.  His mind wavered between these plans; and probably, if he had effected his escape in the manner he proposed, he would have been finally determined by the comparative facility by which either might have been executed.  But his fortune had settled that he was not to be left to his option.

Upon the evening of the seventh day the door of the hut suddenly opened, and two Highlanders entered, whom Waverley recognized as having been a part of his original escort to this cottage.  They conversed for a short time with the old man and his companion, and then made Waverley understand, by very significant signs, that he was to prepare to accompany them.  This was a joyful communication.  What had already passed during his confinement made it evident that