Scotland/Scots > Wilson's tales of the Borders and of Scotland > Volume 3

122
TALKS OF THE BORDERS.
had been given, and had been fortunate enough to find
her, after tracing her over half the kingdom, in a cave,
near Fortrose, in the north of Scotland. She had confessed
all; stating, however, that the lad, who had borne among
the tribe the name of Bill "Whyte, and had turned out a
fine fellow, had been outlawed, for some smuggling feat,
about eighteen months before, and had enlisted, with a
young man, her son, into a regiment bound for Egypt.
You see, master, there couldn’t be a shadow of doubt that
my comrade, Bill Whyte, was just Henry Westhope, the
colonel’s son and heir. But the grand matter was where
to find him. Search as we might, all search was in vain;
we could trace him no further than outside the camp, to
where he had met with Captain Turpic. I shotild tell you,
by the way, that the captain was now sent to Coventry, by
every one, and that not an officer in the regiment would
return his salute.
Well, master, the months passed, and at length the
French surrendered; and, having no more to do in Egypt,
we all re-embarked, and sailed for England. The short
peace had been ratified before our arrival; and I, who
had become heartily tired of the life of a soldier, now that
I had no one to associate with, was fortunate enough to
obtain my discharge. The colonel retired from the service
at the same time. He was as kind to me as if he had
been my father, and offered to make me his forester, if I
would but come and live beside him; but I was too fond
of a wandering life for that. He was corresponding, he
told me, with every British consul within fifteen hundred
miles of the Nile; but he had heard nothing of Bill, master.
Well, after seeing the colonel’s estate, I parted from him,
'and came north, to find out my people, which I soon did;
and, for a year or so, I lived with them just as I have
been doing since. I was led, in the course of my wander
ings, to Leith, and was standing, one morning, on the pier,