ation; and,
in fact, as they are seldom entirely sober, can be as rarely seen
absolutely drunk. Indeed, Fairford, had he not known how Ewart had been
engaged whilst he himself was asleep, would almost have sworn when he
awoke, that the man was more sober than when he first entered the room.

He was confirmed in this opinion when they descended below, where two or
three sailors and ruffian-looking fellows awaited their commands. Ewart
took the whole direction upon himself, gave his orders with briefness
and precision, and looked to their being executed with the silence and
celerity which that peculiar crisis required. All were now dismissed
for the brig, which lay, as Fairford was given to understand, a little
farther down the river, which is navigable for vessels of light burden
till almost within a mile of the town.

When they issued from the inn, the landlord bid them goodbye. Old
Trumbull walked a little way with them, but the air had probably
considerable effect on the state of his brain; for after reminding
Alan Fairford that the next day was the honourable Sabbath, he became
extremely excursive in an attempt to exhort him to keep it holy. At
length, being perhaps sensible that he was becoming unintelligible, he
thrust a volume into Fairford's hand--hiccuping at the same time--'Good
book--good book--fine hymn-book--fit for the honourable Sabbath, whilk
awaits us to-morrow morning.' Here the iron tongue of time told
five from the town steeple of Annan, to the further confusion of Mr.
Trumbull's already disordered ideas. 'Aye? Is Sunday come and gone
already? Heaven be praised! Only it is a marvel the afternoon is sae
dark for the time of the year--Sabbath has slipped ower quietly, but we
have reason to bless oursells it has not been altogether misemployed.
I heard little of the preaching--a cauld moralist, I doubt, served that
out--but, eh--the prayer--I mind it as if I had said the words mysell.'
Here he repeated one or two petitions, which were probably a part of his
family devotions, before he was summoned forth to what he called the
way of business. 'I never remember a Sabbath pass so cannily off in my
life.' Then he recollected himself a little, and said to Alan, 'You
may read that book, Mr. Fairford, to-morrow, all the same, though it be
Monday; for, you see, it was Saturday when we were thegither, and now
it's Sunday and it's dark night--so the Sabbath has slipped clean away
through our fingers like water th