r, "this grows a little too much for
my patience. I must go and examine how matters stand at Wolf's Crag
myself."

"Your honour is ganging to gang nae sic gate," said Caleb, firmly.

"And why not?" said Ravenswood, sharply; "who or what shall prevent me?"

"Even I mysell," said Caleb, with the same determination.

"You, Balderstone!" replied the Master; "you are forgetting yourself, I
think."

"But I think no," said Balderstone; "for I can just tell ye a' about the
castle on this knowe-head as weel as if ye were at it. Only dinna pit
yoursell into a kippage, and expose yoursell before the weans, or before
the Marquis, when ye gang down-bye."

"Speak out, you old fool," replied his master, "and let me know the best
and the worst at once."

"Ou, the best and the warst is, just that the tower is standing hail and
feir, as safe and as empty as when ye left it."

"Indeed! and the fire?" said Ravenswood. "Not a gleed of fire, then,
except the bit kindling peat, and maybe a spunk in Mysie's cutty-pipe,"
replied Caleb.

"But the flame?" demanded Ravenswood--"the broad blaze which might have
been seen ten miles off--what occasioned that?"

"Hout awa'! it's an auld saying and a true--

Little's the light Will be seen far in a mirk night.

A wheen fern and horse little that I fired in the courtyard, after
sending back the loon of a footman; and, to speak Heaven's truth, the
next time that ye send or bring ony body here, let them ge gentles
allenarly, without ony fremd servants, like that chield Lockhard, to
be gledging and gleeing about, and looking upon the wrang side of ane's
housekeeping, to the discredit of the family, and forcing ane to damn
their souls wi' telling ae lee after another faster than I can count
them: I wad rather set fire to the tower in gude earnest, and burn it
ower my ain head into the bargain, or I see the family dishonoured in
the sort."

"Upon my word, I am infinitely obliged by the proposal, Caleb," said his
master, scarce able to restrain his laughter, though rather angry at
the same time. "But the gunpowder--is there such a thing in the tower?
The Marquis seemed to know of it." "The pouther, ha! ha! ha!--the
Marquis, ha! ha! ha!" replied Caleb,--"if your honour were to brain me,
I behooved to laugh,--the Marquis--the pouther! Was it there? Ay, it was
there. Did he ken o't? My certie! the Marquis kenn'd o't, and it was the
best o' the game; for, when I couldna pacify your honour wi'