That Waverley was at a distance in the Highlands, was received as a
sufficient excuse for transmitting his letters through the medium of the
pedlar; and the sight of his well-known seal seemed to authenticate the
negotiations in his name, where writing might have been dangerous. The
cabal, however, began to take air, from the premature mutinous language
of those concerned. Wily Will justified his appellative; for, after
suspicion arose, he was seen no more. When the Gazette appeared, in
which Waverley was superseded, great part of his troop broke out into
actual mutiny, but were surrounded and disarmed by the rest of the
regiment. In consequence of the sentence of a court-martial, Houghton
and Timms were condemned to be shot, but afterwards permitted to cast
lots for life. Houghton, the survivor, showed much penitence, being
convinced from the rebukes and explanations of Colonel Gardiner, that he
had really engaged in a very heinous crime. It is remarkable, that, as
soon as the poor fellow was satisfied of this, he became also convinced
that the instigator had acted without authority from Edward, saying,
'If it was dishonourable and against Old England, the squire could
know naught about it; he never did, or thought to do, anything
dishonourable,--no more didn't Sir Everard, nor none of them afore him,
and in that belief he would live and die that Ruffin had done it all of
his own head.
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