said Girder.

"Ay, troth is he," replied his man of confidence.

"And friends wi' Ravenswood?"

"It's like sae," answered the foreman, "since he is putting up wi' him."

"And Peter Puncheon's dead?"

"Ay, ay, Puncheon has leaked out at last, the auld carle," said the
foreman; "mony a dribble o' brandy has gaen through him in his day. But
as for the broche and the wild-fowl, the saddle's no aff your mare yet,
maister, and I could follow and bring it back, for Mr. Balderstone's no
far aff the town yet."

"Do sae, Will; and come here, I'll tell ye what to do when ye owertake
him."

He relieved the females of his presence, and gave Will his private
instructions.

"A bonny-like thing," said the mother-in-law, as the cooper re-entered
the apartment, "to send the innocent lad after an armed man, when ye ken
Mr. Balderstone aye wears a rapier, and whiles a dirk into the bargain."

"I trust," said the minister, "ye have reflected weel on what ye have
done, lest you should minister cause of strife, of which it is my duty
to say, he who affordeth matter, albeit he himself striketh not, is in
no manner guiltless."

"Never fash your beard, Mr. Bide-the-Bent," replied Girder; "ane canna
get their breath out here between wives and ministers. I ken best how to
turn my ain cake. Jean, serve up the dinner, and nae mair about it."

Nor did he again allude to the deficiency in the course of the evening.

Meantime, the foreman, mounted on his master's steed, and charged with
his special orders, pricked swiftly forth in pursuit of the marauder
Caleb. That personage, it may be imagined, did not linger by the way. He
intermitted even his dearly-beloved chatter, for the purpose of making
more haste, only assuring Mr. Lockhard that he had made the purveyor's
wife give the wild-fowl a few turns before the fire, in case that
Mysie, who had been so much alarmed by the thunder, should not have her
kitchen-grate in full splendour. Meanwhile, alleging the necessity of
being at Wolf's Crag as soon as possible, he pushed on so fast that his
companions could scarce keep up with him. He began already to think he
was safe from pursuit, having gained the summit of the swelling eminence
which divides Wolf's Crag from the village, when he heard the distant
tread of a horse, and a voice which shouted at intervals, "Mr.
Caleb--Mr. Balderstone--Mr. Caleb Balderstone--hollo--bide a wee!"

Caleb, it may be well believed, was in no hurry to acknowled