st by the appearance of
the supper which his friend had ordered, which, although homely enough,
had the appetising cleanliness in which Mrs. Mac-Guffog's cookery was so
eminently deficient. Dinmont also, premising he had ridden the whole day
since breakfast-time without tasting anything 'to speak of,' which
qualifying phrase related to about three pounds of cold roast mutton
which he had discussed at his mid-day stage--Dinmont, I say, fell stoutly
upon the good cheer, and, like one of Homer's heroes, said little, either
good or bad, till the rage of thirst and hunger was appeased. At length,
after a draught of home-brewed ale, he began by observing, 'Aweel, aweel,
that hen,' looking upon the lamentable relics of what had been once a
large fowl, 'wasna a bad ane to be bred at a town end, though it's no
like our barn-door chuckies at Charlie's Hope; and I am glad to see that
this vexing job hasna taen awa your appetite, Captain.'

'Why, really, my dinner was not so excellent, Mr. Dinmont, as to spoil my
supper.'

'I daresay no, I daresay no,' said Dandie. 'But now, hinny, that ye hae
brought us the brandy, and the mug wi' the het water, and the sugar, and
a' right, ye may steek the door, ye see, for we wad hae some o' our ain
cracks.' The damsel accordingly retired and shut the door of the
apartment, to which she added the precaution of drawing a large bolt on
the outside.

As soon as she was gone Dandie reconnoitred the premises, listened at the
key-hole as if he had been listening for the blowing of an otter, and,
having satisfied himself that there were no eavesdroppers, returned to
the table; and, making himself what he called a gey stiff cheerer, poked
the fire, and began his story in an undertone of gravity and importance
not very usual with him.

'Ye see, Captain, I had been in Edinbro' for twa or three days, looking
after the burial of a friend that we hae lost, and maybe I suld hae had
something for my ride; but there's disappointments in a' things, and wha
can help the like o' that? And I had a wee bit law business besides, but
that's neither here nor there. In short, I had got my matters settled,
and hame I cam; and the morn awa to the muirs to see what the herds had
been about, and I thought I might as weel gie a look to the Touthope
Head, where Jock o' Dawston and me has the outcast about a march. Weel,
just as I was coming upon the bit, I saw a man afore me that I kenn'd was
nane o' our herds, and it's a