missie," said Nicie, anxious that she
should not be misled. "It's naething but Donal's nonsense."

"Nonsense here, nonsense there!" said Donal, "I see a heap o' sense
intil 't. But nonsense or no, Nicie, its nane o' my nonsense: I
wuss it war. It's hun'ers o' years auld, that ballant, I s'
warran'."

"It's beautiful," said Ginevra, with decision and dignity. "I hope
he married the lady, and they lived happy ever after."

"I dinna ken, mem. The man 'at made the ballant, I daursay, thoucht
him weel payed gien the bonny leddy said thank ye till him."

"Oh! but, Donal, that wouldn't be enough!--Would it, Nicie?"

"Weel, ye see, missie," answered Nicie, "he but gae her three
kisses--that wasna sae muckle to wur (lay out) upon a body."

"But a serpent!--a serpent's mouth, Nicie!"

Here, unhappily, Donal had to rush through the burn without
leave-taking, for Hornie was attempting a trespass; and the two
girls, thinking it was time to go home, rose, and climbed to the
house at their leisure.

The rest of the day Ginevra talked of little else than the serpent
lady and the brave knight, saying now and then what a nice boy that
Donal of Nicie's was. Nor was more than the gentlest hint necessary
to make Nicie remark, the next morning, that perhaps, if they went
down again to the Lorrie, Donal might come, and bring the book. But
when they reached the bank and looked across, they saw him occupied
with Gibbie. They had their heads close together over a slate, upon
which now the one, now the other, seemed to be drawing. This went
on and on, and they never looked up. Ginny would have gone home,
and come again in the afternoon, but Nicie instantly called Donal.
He sprang to his feet and came to them, followed by Gibbie. Donal
crossed the burn, but Gibbie remained on the other side, and when
presently Donal took his "buik o' ballants" from his pocket, and the
little company seated themselves, stood with his back to them, and
his eyes on the nowt. That morning they were not interrupted.

Donal read to them for a whole hour, concerning which reading, and
Ginevra's reception of it, Nicie declared she could not see what for
they made sic a wark aboot a wheen auld ballants, ane efter
anither.--"They're no half sae bonnie as the paraphrases, Donal,"
she said.

After this, Ginevra went frequently with Nicie to see her mother,
and learned much of the best from her. Often also they went down to
the Lorrie, and had an i