Whatever
might be in the mind of Hamish, his demeanour
was directly the reverse of that adopted by his
mother. Having finished the task of cleaning and
preparing his arms, which he arranged within the
hut, he sat himself down before the door of the
bothy, and watched the opposite hill, like the fixed
sentinel who expects the approach of an enemy.
Noon found him in the same unchanged posture,
and it was an hour after that period, when his mother,
standing beside him, laid her hand on his
shoulder, and said, in a tone indifferent, as if she
had been talking of some friendly visit, ``When
dost thou expect them?''
``They cannot be here till the shadows fall long
to the eastward,'' replied Hamish; ``that is, even
supposing the nearest party, commanded by Sergeant
Allan Breack Cameron, has been commanded
hither by express from Dunbarton, as it is most
likely they will.''
``Then enter beneath your mother's roof once
more; partake the last time of the food which she
has prepared; after this, let them come, and thou
shalt see if thy mother is an useless encumbrance
in the day of strife. Thy hand, practised as it is,
cannot fire these arms so fast as I can load them;
nay, if it is necessary, I do not myself fear the
flash or the report, and my aim has been held
fatal.
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