if they would go with him, he would conduct them where they could find
the Scottish king. Then the man who had spoken changed color, and
Bruce, who looked sharply at him, began to suspect that the ruffian
guessed who he was, and that he and his companions had some design
against his person, in order to gain the reward which had been offered
for his life.

23. "So he said to them, 'My good friends, as we are not well
acquainted with each other, you must go before us, and we will follow
near to you.' 'You have no occasion to suspect any harm from us,'
said the man. 'Neither do I suspect any,' said Bruce, I but this is
the way it, which I choose to travel.'

24. "The men did as he commanded, and thus they traveled till they
came to a waste and ruinous cottage, where the men proposed to dress
down part of the sheep which they were carrying. The king was glad to
hear of food, but he insisted that two fires should be kindled, one
for himself and foster-brother at one end of the cottage, the other at
the other end for the three companions. The men did as he desired.
They broiled a quarter of the mutton for themselves, and gave another
to the king and his attendant. They were obliged to eat it without
bread or salt; but, as they were very hungry, they were glad to get
food in any shape, and partook of it heartily.

25. "Then so heavy a drowsiness fell on King Robert that he greatly
desired to sleep. But, first, he desired his foster-brother to watch
as he slept, for he had great suspicion of his new acquaintances. His
foster-brother promised to keep awake, and did his best to so keep his
word. But the king had not been long asleep ere his foster-brother
fell into a deep slumber also, for he had under-gone as much fatigue