wer." He showed me a letter as he spoke. "And I say, mate," he
added; "I'm mortal hungry."

"Well," said I, "come into the house, and you shall have a bite if I go
empty for it."

With that I brought him in and set him down to my own place, where he
fell to greedily on the remains of breakfast, winking to me
between-whiles, and making many faces, which I think the poor soul
considered manly. Meanwhile, my uncle had read the letter and sat
thinking; then, suddenly, he got to his feet with a great air of
liveliness, and pulled me apart into the farthest corner of the room.

"Read that," said he, and put the letter in my hand.

Here it is, lying before me as I write:

"The Hawes Inn, at the Queen's Ferry.

"Sir,--I lie here with my hawser up and down, and send my cabin-boy to
informe. If you have any further commands for over-seas, to-day will
be the last occasion, as the wind will serve us well out of the firth.
I will not seek to deny that I have had crosses with your doer,[4] Mr.
Rankeillor; of which, if not speedily redd up, you may looke to see
some losses follow. I have drawn a bill upon you, as per margin, and
am, sir, your most obedt., humble servant,

"ELIAS HOSEASON."

"You see, Davie," resumed my uncle, as soon as he saw that I had done,
"I have a venture with this man Hoseason, the captain of a trading brig,
the _Covenant_, of Dysart. Now, if you and me was to walk over with yon
lad, I could see the captain at the Hawes, or maybe on board the
_Covenant_ if there was papers to be signed; and, so far from a loss of
time, we can jog on to the lawyer, Mr. Rankeillor's. After a' that's
come and gone, ye would be sweer[5] to believe me upon my naked word;
but ye'll believe Rankeillor. He's factor to half the gentry in these
parts; an auld man forbye: highly respeckit; and he kenned your father."

I stood awhile and thought. I was going to some place of shipping,
which was doubtless populous, and where my uncle durst attempt no
violence, and, indeed, even the society of the cabin-boy so far
protected me. Once there, I believed I could force on the visit to the
lawyer, even if my uncle were now insincere in proposing it; and,
perhaps, in the bottom of my heart, I wished a nearer view of the sea
and ships. You are to remember I had lived all my life in the inland
hills, and just two days before had my first sight of the firth lying
like a blue floor, and the sailed ships moving on the fac