We can but try." "My God, my child!"-- "My father! my dear father!" exclaimed the parent and daughter, as, fear lending them strength and speed, they turned to retrace their steps, and endeavoured to double the point, the projection of which formed the southern extremity of the bay.
"I heard ye were here frae the bit callant ye sent to meet your carriage," said the beggar, as he trudged stoutly on a step or two behind Miss Wardour; "and I couldna bide to think o' the dainty young leddy's peril, that has aye been kind to ilka forlorn heart that cam near her.

Sae I lookit at the lift and the rin o' the tide, till I settled it that if I could get down time eneugh to gie you warning, we wad do weel yet.

But I doubt, I doubt, I have been beguiled! for what mortal ee ever saw sic a race as the tide is risening e'en now?
See, yonder's the Ratton's Skerry--he aye held his neb abune the water in my day--but he's aneath it now." Sir Arthur cast a look in the direction in which the old man pointed.

A huge rock, which in general, even in spring-tides, displayed a hulk like the keel of a large vessel, was now quite under water, and its place only indicated by the boiling and breaking of the eddying waves which encountered its submarine resistance.
"Mak haste, mak haste, my bonny leddy," continued the old man--"mak haste, and we may do yet! Take haud o' my arm--an auld and frail arm it's now, but it's been in as sair stress as this is yet.

Take haud o' my arm, my winsome leddy! D'ye see yon wee black speck amang the wallowing waves yonder?
This morning it was as high as the mast o' a brig--it's sma' eneugh now--but, while I see as muckle black about it as the crown o' my hat, I winna believe but we'll get round the Ballyburgh Ness, for a' that's come and gane yet." Isabella, in silence, accepted from the old man the assistance which Sir Arthur was less able to afford her.