ere," cried Mr Sudberry, laughing.

"Let me sit down, pa, pray do!" cried Lucy. Her father rose quickly,
and Lucy dropped into his place quite exhausted.

"Come, father, relieve me!" cried Fred. "I'm done up, and my partner
_won't_ give in."

To say truth, it seemed as if the said partner, (stout lass Number 1),
never would give in at all. From the time that the Sudberrys entered
she had not ceased to dance reel after reel, without a minute of
breathing-time. Her countenance was like the sun in a fog; her limbs
moved as deftly and untiringly, after having tired out father and son,
as they did when she began the evening; and she now went on, with a
quiet smile on her face, evidently resolved to show their English guests
the nature of female Highland metal.

In the midst of all this the dogs suddenly became restive, and began to
growl. Soon after, a knock came to the door, and the dogs rushed at it,
barking violently. Mr McAllister went out, and found that a company of
wandering beggars had arrived, and prayed to be allowed to sleep in the
barn. Unfortunate it was for them that they came so soon after Mr
Sudberry's unpleasant rencounter with one of their fraternity. The good
man of the house, although naturally humane and hospitable to such poor
wanderers, was on the present occasion embittered against them; so he
ordered them off.

This incident brought the evening to an abrupt termination, as it was
incumbent on the farmer to see the intruders safely off his premises.
So the Sudberrys returned, in a state of great delight, excitement, and
physical warmth, to their own parlour.

The only other fact worth recording in regard to this event is, that the
Sudberrys were two hours late for breakfast next morning!

STORY ONE, CHAPTER 16.

THE EFFECTS OF COMPASSES.

The first few weeks of the Sudberrys' residence in their Highland home
were of an April cast--alternate sunshine and shower. Sometimes they
had a day of beaming light from morning till night; at other times they
had a day of unmitigated rain, or, as Mr Sudberry called it, "a day of
cats and dogs;" and occasionally they had a day which embraced within
its own circuit both conditions of weather--glorious bursts of sunshine
alternating with sudden plumps of rain.

Thus far the weather justified and strengthened the diverse opinions of
both husband and wife.

"Did I not tell you, my love, that the climate was charming?" was Mr
Sudberry's triump