Guy Mannering.

270 WAVERLEY NOVELS.
a huge doddered oak-tree, which was called Charlie'sBush, from some tradition respecting an old freebooter
who had once inhabited the spot. Between the farmhouse and the hill-pasture was a deep morass, termed in
that country a slack: it had once been the defence of a
fortalice, of which no vestiges now remained, but which
was said to have been inhabited by the same doughty
hero we have now alluded to. Brown endeavoured to
make some acquaintance with the children; but "the
rogues fled from him like quicksilver," though the two
eldest stood peeping when they had got to some distance.
The traveller then turned his course towards the hill,
crossing the foresaid swamp by a range of steppingstones, neither the broadest nor steadiest that could be
imagined. IIe had not climbed far up the hill when he
met a man descending.
He soon recognised his worthy host, though a maud,
as it is called, or a grey shepherd's-plaid, supplied his
travelling jockey-coat, and a cap, faced with wild-cat's
fur, more commodiously covered his bandaged head than
a hat would have done. As he appeared through the
morning mist, Brown, accustomed to judge of men by
their thews and sinews, could not help admiring his
height, the breadth of his shoulders, and the steady
firmness of his step. Dinmont internally paid the same
compliment to Brown, whose athletic form he now
perused somewhat more at leisure than he had done
formerly. After the usual greetings of the morning, the
guest inquired whether his host found any inconvenient
consequences from the last night's affray.
"I had maist forgotten't," said the hardy Borderer;
"but I think this morning, now that I am fresh and
sober, if you and I were at the Withershin's Latch, wi'