"She has the name of being the fastest sailer in these parts."
"There is nothing here would catch her?" Donald Leslie asked. "Would a rowboat have a chance of overtaking her?"
"Not this evening," the sailor said, looking at the sky. "The wind is rising now, and it will blow a gale before morning."
"Tell me, my man," Leslie asked, "and here is a gold piece for your pains, where you think she is likely to put in?"
"That will all depend," the sailor replied, "upon what errand she is bound. I must know that before I can answer you."
Leslie looked at William Long. The latter said:
"It were best to tell this honest fellow the facts of the case. Look you, my 'man, the two king's officers who have gone on board are ill friends with the Campbells, and we doubt not that these have kidnaped and carried them off."
"The Campbells are an ill crew to deal with," the sailor said, "and I do not love them myself. If it be as you say, they might be landed either at Anstruther, near which is a hold belonging to Andrew Campbell of Glencoulie, or at St. Andrews, or at Leuchars, a little bay north of that town, whence they might take them to Kilbeg Castle, also held by a Campbell. It is a lonely place ten miles inland, and their friends would be little likely to look for them there. Besides, the Royalist might land them and sail away without any being the wiser, while at the other ports her coming would be surely noticed."
"Think you that we can obtain horses on the other side?"
"You might obtain four or five," the sailor said, "of Tony Galbraith, who keeps the inn there, and who lets horses on hire to those traveling north."