Symbolism, Imagery, Allegory
Like Alan's French clothes, this silver button becomes an immediate means of identifying Alan and the people attached to him. The set of silver buttons originally belonged to Alan's father, Duncan Stewart. Alan entrusts one of them to Davie. When the two men are separated by the Covenant wreck, Alan leaves messages for Davie as "the lad with the silver button" (15.7). And when the two men attempt to get a message to James Stewart, they use the silver button to identify themselves to messenger John Breck.