, could not remember her
grandfather's nice cave or the larder where the
arms and legs were hung up to dry in the smoke--"

"Oh, you horrid boy!" cried Sweetheart, not,
however, removing herself out of ear-shot--because,
after all, it was nice to shiver just a little.

"Oh, yes, and I have seen the cave," cried Sir
Toady, "it is on the shore near Ballantrae--a
horrid place. Go on, Hugh John, tell about Sawney
Bean's grandchild!"

"Well, she grew up and up, playing with dolls just
like other girls, till she was old enough to be
sent out to service. And after she had been a while
about the house to which she went, it was noticed
that some of the babies in the neighbourhood began
to go a-missing, and they found--"

"I think she was a nursemaid!" interrupted Sir
Toady, dispassionately. "That must have been it.
The little wretches cried--_so she ate them!_"

"Oh," cried Sweetheart, stopping her ears with her
fingers, "don't tell us what they found--I believe
you made it all up, anyway."

"No, I didn't," cried Hugh John, shouting in her
ear as if to a very deaf person, "it was father who
read it to us, out of a big book with fat black
letters. So it must be true!"

Sir Toady was trying to drag away his sister's arms
that she might have the benefit of details, when I
appeared in the distance. Whereupon Hugh John, who
felt his time growing limited, concluded thus, "And
when they were taking the girl away to hang her,
the minister asked her why she had killed the
babies, and she answered him, 'If people only knew
how good babies were--especially little
girls--_there would not be one left between Forth
and Solway!_'"

Then quite unexpectedly Maid Margaret began to sob
bitterly.

"They _shan't_ hang me up and eat me," she cried,
running as hard as she could and flinging herself
into my arms; "Hugh John and Sir Toady say they
will, as soon as we get home."

Happily I had a light cane of a good vintage in my
hand, and it did not take long to convince the pair
of young scamps of the inconvenience of frightening
their little sister. Sweetheart looked on
approvingly as two forlorn young men were walked
off to a supper, healthfully composed of plain
bread and butter, and washed down by some nice cool
water from the pump.