And then I wad have put on another gown, and ye wadna have been the waur o' a clean neck-cloth yoursell.

But ye delight in surprising and hurrying one.

I am sure I am no to baud out for ever against this sort of going on; but when folk's missed, then they are moaned.' 'Pshaw, pshaw! deuce take the beef, and the gown, and table, and the neck-cloth! we shall do all very well.

Where's the Dominie, John?
(to a servant who was busy about the table) where's the Dominie and little Harry ?' 'Mr.Sampson's been at hame these twa hours and mair, but I dinna think Mr.Harry cam hame wi' him.' 'Not come hame wi' him ?' said the lady; 'desire Mr.Sampson to step this way directly.' 'Mr.Sampson,' said she, upon his entrance, 'is it not the most extraordinary thing in this world wide, that you, that have free up-putting--bed, board, and washing--and twelve pounds sterling a year, just to look after that boy, should let him out of your sight for twa or three hours ?' Sampson made a bow of humble acknowledgment at each pause which the angry lady made in her enumeration of the advantages of his situation, in order to give more weight to her remonstrance, and then, in words which we will not do him the injustice to imitate, told how Mr.Francis Kennedy 'had assumed spontaneously the charge of Master Harry, in despite of his remonstrances in the contrary.' 'I am very little obliged to Mr.Francis Kennedy for his pains,' said the lady, peevishly; 'suppose he lets the boy drop from his horse, and lames him?
or suppose one of the cannons comes ashore and kills him?
or suppose--' 'Or suppose, my dear,' said Ellangowan, 'what is much more likely than anything else, that they have gone aboard the sloop or the prize, and are to come round the Point with the tide ?' 'And then they may be drowned,' said the lady.
'Verily,' said Sampson, 'I thought Mr.Kennedy had returned an hour since.

Of a surety I deemed I heard his horse's feet.' 'That,' said John, with a broad grin, 'was Grizzel chasing the humble-cow out of the close.' Sampson coloured up to the eyes, not at the implied taunt, which he would never have discovered, or resented if he had, but at some idea which crossed his own mind.