For the enemy, with whose reinforcements they had all the time been descending, showed himself ever in greater strength the farther they advanced; and here the road was flooded for a long way on both sides of the bridge.

There was therefore a good deal of wading to be done; but the road was an embankment, there was little current, and in safety at last they ascended the rising ground on which the farm-building stood.

When they reached the yard, they sent Gibbie to find shelter for Crummie, and themselves went up to the house.
"The Lord preserve 's!" cried Jean Mavor, with uplifted hands, when she saw them enter the kitchen.
"He'll dee that, mem," returned Janet, with a smile.
"But what can he dee?
Gien ye be droont oot o' the hills, what's to come o' hiz i' the how?
I wad ken that!" said Jean.
"The watter's no up to yer door yet," remarked Janet.
"God forbid!" retorted Jean, as if the very mention of such a state of things was too dreadful to be polite.

"-- But, eh, ye're weet!" "Weet's no the word," said Robert, trying to laugh, but failing from sheer exhaustion, and the beginnings of an asthmatic attack.
The farmer, hearing their voices, came into the kitchen--a middle-sized and middle-aged, rather coarse-looking man, with keen eyes, who took snuff amazingly.

His manner was free, with a touch of satire.