midday
Clearly he must join the others . The soul of Dickson hungered at the moment for human companionship . He felt that his courage would be sufficient for any team-work , but might waver again if he were left to play a lone hand . He lunched nobly off three plates of Mrs. Morran 's kail -- an early lunch , for that lady , having breakfasted at five , partook of the midday meal about eleven . Then he explored her library , and settled himself by the fire with a volume of Covenanting tales , entitled _ Gleanings among the Mountains _ . It was a most practical work for one in his position , for it told how various eminent saints of that era escaped the attention of Claverhouse 's dragoons . Dickson stored up in his memory several of the incidents in case they should come in handy .