Character Analysis
Robin Oig is the son of famous real-life Scottish outlaw Rob Roy. He comes to visit Davie because he hears that Davie's name is Balfour. Robin owes another Balfour a debt for helping treat his brother on the battlefield, and Robin wants to know if Davie is connected to that Balfour. Davie doesn't know, and this lack of family feeling shocks Robin. The importance of family connections is another contrast between the Highlands and the Lowlands; see our "Themes" section for more on this.