‘Where be ye gaun, ye mason lads,
Wi’ a’ your ladders, lang and hie?’—
‘We gang to herry a corbie’s nest,
That wons not far frae Woodhouselee.’—
XXIV
‘Where be ye gaun, ye broken men?’
Quo’ fause Sakelde; ‘come tell to me!’—
Now Dickie of Dryhope led that band,
And the never a word of lear[1175] had he.
XXV
‘Why trespass ye on the English side?
Row-footed[1176] outlaws, stand!’ quo’ he;
The never a word had Dickie to say,
Sae he thrust the lance through his fause bodie.
XXVI
Then on we held for Carlisle toun,
And at Staneshaw-bank the Eden we cross’d;
The water was great and meikle of spate,
But the never a horse nor man we lost.
XXVII
And when we reach’d the Staneshaw-bank,
The wind was rising loud and hie;
And there the Laird gar’d leave our steeds,
For fear that they should stamp and neigh.