six
at night
I have seen wicked men and fools , a great many of both ; and I believe they both get paid in the end ; but the fools first . The Ross of Mull , which I had now got upon , was rugged and trackless , like the isle I had just left ; being all bog , and briar , and big stone . There may be roads for them that know that country well ; but for my part I had no better guide than my own nose , and no other landmark than Ben More . I aimed as well as I could for the smoke I had seen so often from the island ; and with all my great weariness and the difficulty of the way came upon the house in the bottom of a little hollow about five or six at night . It was low and longish , roofed with turf , and built of unmortared stones ; and on a mound in front of it an old gentleman sat smoking his pipe in the sun . With what little English he had , he gave me to understand that my shipmates had got safe ashore , and had broken bread in that very house on the day after . `` Was there one , '' I asked , `` dressed like a gentleman ? ''