ther, what are you doing now?' A voice
still shriller responded from the other haunted ship, 'I'm making
a wife to Sandie Macharg!' and a loud quavering laugh running from
ship to ship, and from bank to bank, told the joy they expected
from their labor.

"Now the Laird, besides being a devout and a God-fearing man, was
shrewd and bold; and in plot, and contrivance, and skill in conducting
his designs, was fairly an overmatch for any dozen land-elves; but
the water-elves are far more subtle; besides, their haunts and
their dwellings being in the great deep, pursuit and detection is
hopeless if they succeed in carrying their prey to the waves. But
ye shall hear. Home flew the Laird, collected his family around
the hearth, spoke of the signs and the sins of the times, and talked
of mortification and prayer for averting calamity; and finally,
taking his father's Bible, brass clasps, black print, and covered
with calf-skin, from the shelf, he proceeded without let or stint
to perform domestic worship. I should have told ye that he bolted
and locked the door, shut up all inlet to the house, threw salt
into the fire, and proceeded in every way like a man skilful in
guarding against the plots of fairies and fiends. His wife looked
on all this with wonder; but she saw something in her husband's
looks that hindered her from intruding either question or advice,
and a wise woman was she.

"Near the mid-hour of the night the rush of a horse's feet was
heard, and the sound of a rider leaping from its back, and a heavy
knock came to the door, accompanied by a voice saying, 'The cummer
drink's hot, and the knave bairn is expected at Laird Laurie's
to-night; sae mount, goodwife, and come.'

"'Preserve me!' said the wife of Sandie Macharg; 'that's news indeed!
who could have thought it? the Laird has been heirless for seventeen
years! Now, Sandie, my man, fetch me my skirt and hood.'

"But he laid his arm round his wife's neck, and said, 'If all the
lairds in Galloway go heirless, over this door threshold shall you
not stir to-night; and I have said, and I have sworn it: seek not
to know why or wherefore; but, Lord, send us thy blessed mornlight.'
The wife looked for a moment in her husband's eyes, and desisted
from further entreaty.

"'But let us send a civil message to the gossips, Sandie; and hadnae
ye better say I am sair laid with a sudden sickness? though it's
sinful-like to send the poor messenger a mile agate with a lie
i