"Forby (besides), sir," he went on, "gien tongues didna wag, what w'y wad you, 'at has to set a' thing richt, come to ken what was wrang ?" "That is not a bad remark, Joseph," replied the laird, with woolly condescension.

"Pray acquaint me with the whole matter." "I hae naething till acquaint yer honour wi', sir, but the ting-a-ling o' tongues," replied Joseph; "an' ye'll hae till arreenge't like, till yer ain settisfaction." Therewith he proceeded to report what he had heard reported, which was in the main the truth, considerably exaggerated--that the work of the house was done over night by invisible hands--and the work of the stables, too; but that in the latter, cantrips were played as well; that some of the men talked of leaving the place; and that Mr.
Duff's own horse, Snowball, was nearly out of his mind with fear.
The laird clenched his teeth, and for a whole minute said nothing.
Here were either his old enemies again, or some who had heard the old story, and in their turn were beating the drum of consternation in the ears of superstition.
"It is one of the men themselves," he said at last, with outward frigidity.

"Or some ill-designed neighbour," he added.

"But I shall soon be at the bottom of it.

Go to the Mains at once, Joseph, and ask young Fergus Duff to be so good as step over, as soon as he conveniently can." Fergus was pleased enough to be sent for by the laird, and soon told him all he knew from his aunt and the men, confessing that he had himself been too lazy of a morning to take any steps towards personal acquaintance with the facts, but adding that, as Mr.
Galbraith took an interest in the matter, "he would be only too happy to carry out any suggestion he might think proper to make on the subject.
"Fergus," returned the laird, "do you imagine things inanimate can of themselves change their relations in space?
In other words, are the utensils in your kitchen endowed with powers of locomotion?
Can they take to themselves wings and fly?
Or to use a figure more to the point, are they provided with members necessary to the washing of their own--persons, shall I say?
Answer me those points, Fergus." "Certainly not, sir," answered Fergus solemnly, for the laird's face was solemn, and his speech was very solemn.
"Then, Fergus, let me assure you, that to discover by what agency these apparent wonders are effected, you have merely to watch.