“Poor Oscar, poor man,” said Rory, patting his dog’s head as he put his nose towards his face to claim his share of his master’s attention; “troth, I maun say that thou didst do me a good turn this blessed night. I was just thinking as I lay here that as I must now bear the proper armorial device of ane esquire, I sould take the effigy of ane allounde couchant beside his master sejant, with this motto, ‘Fair fa’ the snout that pu’d me out.’ ”
“How couldst thou think of such things, my dear father, whilst thou didst lie in plight so pitiful!” cried Katherine Spears.
“Troth, I had naething else to think o’, ye silly maiden, but that or hunger,” said Rory; “and that last, I’ll promise thee, was a sair sharp thought. And, by St. Lowry, it doth sore sting me at this precious moment.”
“Uve, uve! sore hungry—sore hungry,” cried MacErchar.
“Nay, then, let us hasten to carry both of them to camp without further let,” cried Sang.
“Come, bestir ye, varlets,” said he to a crowd of camp-followers who were standing near; “lend us your aid.”
“Nay,” said Katherine, “my father must be carried to Otterbourne Castle.”
“Otterbourne Castle!” cried Rory; “what mean ye, silly quean?”
Katherine bent over him, and put her mouth to his ear to whisper him.
“Ay—aweel—poor thing!—very right—an it maun be sae, it just maun,” said he, after hearing what she had to say. “Aweel, Maister Sang, ye maun just tell the Yearl that as I can be o’ nae mair service in fighting at this present time, I [[471]]may as weel gae till the Castle o’ Otterbourne as ony ither gate to be leeched, mair especially as it is my belief that kitchen physic will be the best physic for me. Tell him that I’m gaun there wi’ my dochter Kate till a friend of his, and that he sall ken a’ about it afterhend.”