`` It 's been a good friend to you this night ; or in my poor opinion , ye would still be cocking on yon stone . And what 's mair , '' says he , `` ye may have observed -LRB- you that 's a man of so much penetration -RRB- that Alan Breck Stewart was perhaps walking quicker than his ordinar ' . '' `` You ! '' I cried , `` you were running fit to burst . '' `` Was I so ? '' said he . `` Well , then , ye may depend upon it , there was nae time to be lost . And now here is enough said ; gang you to your sleep , lad , and I 'll watch . '' Accordingly , I lay down to sleep ; a little peaty earth had drifted in between the top of the two rocks , and some bracken grew there , to be a bed to me ; the last thing I heard was still the crying of the eagles . I dare say it would be nine in the morning when I was roughly awakened , and found Alan 's hand pressed upon my mouth . `` Wheesht ! '' he whispered . `` Ye were snoring . '' `` Well , '' said I , surprised at his anxious and dark face , `` and why not ? '' He peered over the edge of the rock , and signed to me to do the like . It was now high day , cloudless , and very hot . The valley was as clear as in a picture . About half a mile up the water was a camp of red-coats ; a big fire blazed in their midst , at which some were cooking ; and near by , on the top of a rock about as high as ours , there stood a sentry , with the sun sparkling on his arms . All the way down along the river-side were posted other sentries ; here near together , there widelier scattered ; some planted like the first , on places of command , some on the ground level and marching and counter-marching , so as to meet half-way . Higher up the glen , where the ground was more open , the chain of posts was continued by horse-soldiers , whom we could see in the distance riding to and fro .
Lower down , the infantry XXXXX ; but as the stream was suddenly swelled by the confluence of a considerable burn , they were more widely set , and only watched the fords and stepping-stones .
blazed cocking continued drifted grew heard said says see surprised