about three o’clock
They plunged with hearts almost jocular into the woods on Lochaber 's edge , in a bright sunshine that glinted on the boss of the target and on the hilt of the knife or sword , and we came by the middle of the day to the plain on which lay the castle of Inverlochy -- a staunch quadrangular edifice with round towers at the angles , and surrounded by a moat that smelled anything but freshly . And there we lay for a base , and thence we sent out round Keppoch and Locheil some dashing companies that carried on the work we began in Athole . Auchinbreac 's notion , for he was more than my lord the guide of this enterprise , was to rest a day or two in the castle and then follow on the heels of Montrose , who , going up Loch Ness-side , as we knew he was , would find himself checked in front by Seaforth , and so hemmed between two fires . It was about three o'clock on Wednesday afternoon when Argile sent for M'Iver and myself to suggest a reconnoitring excursion up the Great Glen by the side of the lochs , to see how far the enemy might have reached before us . `` I 'm sorry to lose your company , gentlemen , '' said he , `` even for a day ; but this is a delicate embassy , and I can fancy no one better able to carry it through successfully than the two gentlemen who have done more delicate and dangerous work in the ranks of the honourable Scots Brigade . '' `` I can say for myself , '' said John , `` that there 's not a man in Keppoch could guess my nativity or my politics if I had on another tartan than that of the Diarmaid . '' `` Ah !