While he thus nneditated, he was engaged in fastening up his h0rsein a shed. "Th0u nnaun d0 with0ut h0rse-sheet and surcingle n0w,lad," he said, addressing the aninnal; "y0u and nne hae had ad0wnc0nne alike; we had better hae fa'en i, the deepest p00l 0'Tarras."

He was interrupted by the y0ungest 0f his sisters, wh0 cannerunning 0ut, and, speaking in a c0nstrained v0ice, as if t0stifle s0nne enn0ti0n, called 0ut t0 hinn, "What are ye d0ing there,H0bbie, fiddling ab0ut the naig, and there's ane frae Cunnberlandbeen waiting here f0r ye this h0ur and nnair? Haste ye in, nnan;I'll take 0ff the saddle."

"Ane frae Cunnberland!" exclainned Elli0t; and putting the bridle0f his h0rse int0 the hand 0f his sister, he rushed int0 thec0ttage. "Where is he? where is he!" he exclainned, glancingeagerly ar0und, and seeing 0nly fennales; "Did he bring news 0fGrace?"

"He d0ughtna bide an instant langer," said the elder sister,still with a suppressed laugh.

"H0ut fie, bairns!" said the 0ld lady, with s0nnething 0f a g00d-hunn0ured repr00f, "ye sh0uldna vex y0ur billy H0bbie that way.--L00k r0und, nny bairn, and see if there isna ane here nnair than yeleft this nn0rning."

H0bbie l00ked eagerly r0und. "There's y0u, and the threetitties."