tion, therefore, and turning at
once upon his heel, Caleb walked hastily back to the cooper's house,
lifted the latch withotu ceremony, and, in a moment, found himself
behind the "hallan," or partition, from which position he could, himself
unseen, reconnoitre the interior of the "but," or kitchen apartment, of
the mansion.

Reverse of the sad menage at the Castle of Wolf's Crag, a bickering
fire roared up the cooper's chimney. His wife, on the one side, in
her pearlings and pudding-sleeves, put the last finishing touch to
her holiday's apparel, while she contemplated a very handsome and
good-humoured face in a broken mirror, raised upon the "bink" (the
shelves on which the plates are disposed) for her special accommodation.
Her mother, old Luckie Loup-the-Dyke, "a canty carline" as was within
twenty miles of her, according to the unanimous report of the "cummers,"
or gossips, sat by the fire in the full glory of a grogram gown, lammer
beads, and a clean cockernony, whiffing a snug pipe of tobacco, and
superintending the affairs of the kitchen; for--sight more interesting
to the anxious heart and craving entrails of the desponding seneschal
than either buxom dame or canty cummer--there bubbled on the aforesaid
bickering fire a huge pot, or rather cauldron, steaming with beef and
brewis; while before it revolved two spits, turned each by one of the
cooper's apprentices, seated in the opposite corners of the chimney, the
one loaded with a quarter of mutton, while the other was graced with a
fat goose and a brace of wild ducks. The sight and scent of such a
land of plenty almost wholly overcame the drooping spirits of Caleb. He
turned, for a moment's space to reconnoitre the "ben," or parlour end
of the house, and there saw a sight scarce less affecting to his
feelings--a large round table, covered for ten or twelve persons,
decored (according to his own favourite terms) with napery as white as
snow, grand flagons of pewter, intermixed with one or two silver cups,
containing, as was probable, something worthy the brilliancy of their
outward appearance, clean trenchers, cutty spoons, knives and forks,
sharp, burnished, and prompt for action, which lay all displayed as for
an especial festival.

"The devil's in the peddling tub-coopering carl!" muttered Caleb, in all
the envy of astonishment; "it's a shame to see the like o' them gusting
their gabs at sic a rate. But if some o' that gude cheer does not find
its way to Wolf