midnight
At length we arrived at Haddington ; and there , in the course of the day , it was discovered , to the gratification of some and the disappointment of many , that our march had originated in a _ false alarm _ . I do confess that I was amongst those who felt gratified that the peace of the land was not to be endangered , but that we were to return every man to his own fireside , and to sit down beneath our vine and our fig tree , with the olive branches twining between them . But amongst those who were disappointed , and who shewed their chagrin by the gnashing of their teeth , was my silly laddie , my only son Robert . When he saw the people laughing in the marketplace , and heard that the whole Borders had been aroused by an accidental light upon a hill , his young brow lowered as black as midnight -- his whole body trembled with a sort of smothered rage -- and his eyebrows drew together until the shape of a horse-shoe was engraven between them . `` Robie , my captain , '' said I , `` wherefore are ye looking sae dour ? Man , ye ought to rejoice that no invader as yet has dared to set his foot upon our coast , and that you and I will return to your mother , who , no doubt , will be distracted upon your account beyond measure . But , oh , when she meets you again , I think that I see her now springing up from the chair , where she is sitting rocking and mourning , and flinging her arms round your neck , crying -- ` Robie !