Already he was near in, and the boat scouring--already Alan's face had flamed crimson with the excitement of his deliverance, when our friends in the bents, either in despair to see their prey escape them or with some hope of scaring Andie, raised suddenly a shrill cry of several voices.
This sound, arising from what appeared to be a quite deserted coast, was really very daunting, and the men in the boat held water instantly.
"What's this of it ?" sings out the captain, for he was come within an easy hail.
"Freens o' mine," says Alan, and began immediately to wade forth in the shallow water towards the boat.

"Davie," he said, pausing, "Davie, are ye no coming?
I am swier to leave ye." "Not a hair of me," said I.
He stood part of a second where he was to his knees in the salt water, hesitating.
"He that will to Cupar, maun to Cupar," said he, and swashing in deeper than his waist, was hauled into the skiff, which was immediately directed for the ship.
I stood where he had left me, with my hands behind my back; Alan sat with his head turned watching me; and the boat drew smoothly away.

Of a sudden I came the nearest hand to shedding tears, and seemed to myself the most deserted, solitary lad in Scotland.

With that I turned my back upon the sea and faced the sand hills.

There was no sight or sound of man; the sun shone on the wet sand and the dry, the wind blew in the bents, the gulls made a dreary piping.