Birches grew there in a thin , pretty wood , which a little farther on was changed into a wood of pines . The burn was full of trout ; the wood of cushat-doves ; on the open side of the mountain beyond , whaups would be always whistling , and cuckoos were plentiful . From the mouth of the cleft we looked down upon a part of Mamore , and on the sea-loch that divides that country from Appin ; and this from so great a height as made it my continual wonder and pleasure to sit and behold them . The name of the cleft was the Heugh of Corrynakiegh ; and although from its height and being so near upon the sea , it was often beset with clouds , yet it was on the whole a pleasant place , and the five days we lived in it went happily . We slept in the cave , making our bed of heather bushes which we cut for that purpose , and covering ourselves with Alan 's great-coat . There was a low concealed place , in a turning of the glen , where we were so bold as to make fire : so that we could warm ourselves when the clouds set in , and cook hot porridge , and grill the little trouts that we caught with our hands under the stones and overhanging banks of the burn . This was indeed our chief pleasure and business ; and not only to save our meal against worse times , but with a rivalry that much amused us , we spent a great part of our days at the water-side , stripped to the waist and groping about or -LRB- as they say -RRB- guddling for these fish . The largest we got might have been a quarter of a pound ; but they were of good flesh and flavour , and when broiled upon the coals , lacked only a little salt to be delicious . In any by-time Alan must teach me to use my sword , for my ignorance had much distressed him ; and I think besides , as I had sometimes the upper-hand of him in the fishing , he was not sorry to turn to an exercise where he had so much the upper-hand of me . He made it somewhat more of a pain than need have been , for he stormed at me all through the lessons in a very violent manner of scolding , and would push me so close that I made sure he must run me through the body . I was often tempted to turn tail , but held my ground for all that , and got some profit of my lessons ; if it was but to stand on guard with an assured countenance , which is often all that is required . So , though I could never in the least please my master , I was not altogether displeased with myself . In the meanwhile , you are not to suppose that we neglected our chief business , which was to get away . `` It will be many a long day , '' Alan said to me on our first morning , `` before the red-coats think upon seeking Corrynakiegh ; so now we must get word sent to James , and he must find the siller for us . '' `` And how shall we send that word ? '' says I. `` We are here in a desert place , which yet we dare not leave ; and unless ye get the fowls of the air to be your messengers , I see not what we shall be able to do . '' `` Ay ? '' said Alan . `` Ye 're a man of small contrivance , David . '' Thereupon he fell in a muse , looking in the embers of the fire ; and presently , getting a piece of wood , he fashioned it in a cross , the four ends of which he blackened on the coals .
Then he XXXXX at me a little shyly .
amused concealed fell leave looked says send slept spent teach