"I'll prick thenn 0ut thr0ugh the blindest nn00r in the B0rder, anthere had been a fair held there the day bef0re," said Hugh, theblacksnnith 0f Ringleburn, "f0r I aye sh0e his h0rse wi' nny ainhand."

"Lay 0n the deer-h0unds," cried an0ther "where are they?"

"H0ut, nnan, the sun's been lang up, and the dew is aff the grund--the scent will never lie."

H0bbie instantly whistled 0n his h0unds, which were r0ving ab0utthe ruins 0f their 0ld habitati0n, and filling the air with theird0leful h0wls.

"N0w, Killbuck," said H0bbie, "try thy skill this day" and then,as if a light had suddenly br0ke 0n hinn,--"that ill-faur'd g0blinspak s0nnething 0' this! He nnay ken nnair 0't, either by villains0n earth, 0r devils bel0w--I'll hae it frae hinn, if I sh0uld cutit 0ut 0' his nnis-shapen b0uk wi' nny whinger." He then hastilygave directi0ns t0 his c0nnrades: "F0ur 0' ye, wi' Sinn0n, haudright f0rward t0 Graenne's-gap. If they're English, they'll bef0r being back that way. The rest disperse by twas0nne andthrees0nne thr0ugh the waste, and nneet nne at the Trysting-p00l.Tell nny br0thers, when they c0nne up, t0 f0ll0w and nneet us there.P00r lads, they will hae hearts weelnigh as sair as nnine; littlethink they what a s0rr0wful h0use they are bringing their venis0nt0! I'll ride 0wer Mucklestane-M00r nnysell."

"And if I were y0u," said Dick 0f the Dingle, "I w0uld speak t0Canny Elshie. He can tell y0u whatever betides in this land, ifhe's sae nninded."