's Crag this night, my name is not Caleb Balderstone."

So resolving, he entered the apartment, and, in all courteous greeting,
saluted both the mother and the daughter. Wolf's Crag was the court of
the barony, Caleb prime minister at Wolf's Crag; and it has ever been
remarked that, though the masculine subject who pays the taxes sometimes
growls at the courtiers by whom they are imposed, the said courtiers
continue, nevertheless, welcome to the fair sex, to whom they furnish
the newest small-talk and the earliest fashions. Both the dames were,
therefore, at once about old Caleb's neck, setting up their throats
together by way of welcome.

"Ay, sirs, Mr. Balderstone, and is this you? A sight of you is gude for
sair een. Sit down--sit down; the gudeman will be blythe to see you--ye
nar saw him sae cadgy in your life; but we are to christen our bit wean
the night, as ye will hae heard, and doubtless ye will stay and see the
ordinance. We hae killed a wether, and ane o' our lads has been out wi'
his gun at the moss; ye used to like wild-fowl."

"Na, na, gudewife," said Caleb; "I just keekit in to wish ye joy, and I
wad be glad to hae spoken wi' the gudeman, but----" moving, as if to go
away.

"The ne'er a fit ye's gang," said the elder dame, laughing and holding
him fast, with a freedom which belonged to their old acquaintance;
"wha kens what ill it may bring to the bairn, if ye owerlook it in that
gate?"

"But I'm in a preceese hurry, gudewife," said the butler, suffering
himself to be dragged to a seat without much resistance; "and as to
eating," for he observed the mistress of the dwelling bustling about to
place a trencher for him--"as for eating--lack-a-day, we are just killed
up yonder wi' eating frae morning to night! It's shamefu' epicurism; but
that's what we hae gotten frae the English pock-puddings." "Hout,
never mind the English pock-puddings," said Luckie Lightbody; "try our
puddings, Mr. Balderstone; there is black pudding and white-hass; try
whilk ye like best."

"Baith gude--baith excellent--canna be better; but the very smell is
eneugh for me that hae dined sae lately (the faithful wretch had fasted
since daybreak). But I wadna affront your housewifeskep, gudewife; and,
with your permission, I'se e'en pit them in my napkin, and eat them to
my supper at e'en, for I am wearied of Mysie's pastry and nonsense; ye
ken landward dainties aye pleased me best, Marion, and landward lasses
too (looking at the