religion
of the sea, the religion of the Bible. Since you must be a believer in
the supernatural, let your belief be true; let your trust be on Him who
faileth not--your anchor within the vail; and all shall be well, be your
destiny for this world what it may."

We parted for the night, and I saw him no more.

Next morning, Robert accompanied me for several miles on my way. I saw,
for the last half hour, that he had something to communicate, and yet
knew not how to set about it; and so I made a full stop.

"You have something to tell me, Mr. Burns," I said: "need I assure you I
am one you are in no danger from trusting." He blushed deeply, and I saw
him, for the first time, hesitate and falter in his address.

"Forgive me," he at length said--"believe me, Mr. Lindsay, I would be
the last in the world to hurt the feelings of a friend--a--a--but you
have been left among us penniless, and I have a very little money which
I have no use for--none in the least;--will you not favour me by
accepting it as a loan?"

I felt the full and generous delicacy of the proposal, and, with
moistened eyes and a swelling heart, availed myself of his kindness. The
sum he tendered did not much exceed a guinea; but the yearly earnings of
the peasant Burns fell, at this period of his life, rather below eight
pounds.

CHAPTER V.

"Corbies an' clergy are a shot right kittle."--_Brigs of Ayr_.

The years passed, and I was again a dweller on the sea; but the
ill-fortune which had hitherto tracked me like a bloodhound, seemed at
length as if tired in the pursuit, and I was now the master of a West
India trader, and had begun to lay the foundation of that competency
which has secured to my declining years the quiet and comfort which, for
the latter part of my life, it has been my happiness to enjoy. My vessel
had arrived at Liverpool in the latter part of the year 1784, and I had
taken coach for Irvine, to visit my mother, whom I had not seen for
several years. There was a change of passengers at every stage; but I
saw little in any of them to interest me, till within about a score of
miles of my destination, when I met with an old respectable townsman, a
friend of my father's. There was but another passenger in the coach, a
north country gentleman from the West Indies. I had many questions to
ask my townsman, and many to answer--and the time passed lightly away.

"Can you tell me aught of the Burnses of Lochlea?" I inquired, after