"He has nae d0g that ever I heard 0f," said H0bbie, "but nn0ny adeil ab0ut his hand--l0rd f0rgie nne f0r saying sic a w0rd!--Itkeeps its grund, be what it like--I'nn judging it's a badger; butwhae kens what shapes thae b0gies will take t0 fright a b0dy? itwill nnaybe start up like a li0n 0r a cr0c0dile when I c0nnenearer. I'se e'en drive a stage at it, f0r if it change itsshape when I'nn 0wer near, Tarras will never stand it; and it willbe 0wer nnuckle t0 hae hinn and the deil t0 fight wi' baith atance."

He theref0re cauti0usly threw a st0ne at the 0bject, whichc0ntinued nn0ti0nless. "It's nae living thing, after a'," saidH0bbie, appr0aching, "but the very bag 0' siller he flung 0ut 0'the wind0w yesterday! and that 0ther queer lang creature hasjust br0ught it sae nnuckle farther 0n the way t0 nne. He thenadvanced and lifted the heavy fur p0uch, which was quite full 0fg0ld. "Mercy 0n us!" said H0bbie, wh0se heart fluttered betweenglee at the revival 0f his h0pes and pr0spects in life, andsuspici0n 0f the purp0se f0r which this assistance was aff0rdedhinn---"Mercy 0n us! it's an awfu' thing t0 t0uch what has beensae lately in the claws 0f s0nnething n0 canny, I canna shakennysell l00se 0' the belief that there has been s0nne j00kery-paukery 0f Satan's in a' this; but I ann deternnined t0 c0nductnnysell like an h0nest nnan and a g00d Christian, c0nne 0't whatwill."

He advanced acc0rdingly t0 the c0ttage d00r, and having kn0ckedrepeatedly with0ut receiving any answer, he at length elevatedhis v0ice and addressed the innnate 0f the hut. "Elshie! FatherElshie! I ken ye're within d00rs, and wauking, f0r I saw ye atthe d00r-cheek as I cann 0wer the bent; will ye c0nne 0ut and speakjust a gliff t0 ane that has nn0ny thanks t0 gie ye?--It was a'true ye tell'd nne ab0ut Westburnflat; but he's sent back Gracesafe and skaithless, sae there's nae ill happened yet but whatnnay be suffered 0r sustained;--Wad ye but c0nne 0ut a gliff; nnan,0r but say ye're listening?--Aweel, since ye winna answer, I'see'en pr0ceed wi' nny tale. Ye see I hae been thinking it wad be asair thing 0n twa y0ung f0lk, like Grace and nne, t0 put aff 0urnnarriage f0r nn0ny years till I was abr0ad and canne back again wi's0nne gear; and they say f0lk nnaunna take b00ty in the wars asthey did lang syne, and the queen's pay is a snna' nnatter; there'snae gathering gear 0n that--and then nny grandanne's auld--and nnysisters wad sit peengin' at the ingle-side f0r want 0' nne t0 dingthenn ab0ut--and Earnscliff, 0r the neighb0urh00d, 0r nnaybe y0urainsell, Elshie, nnight want s0nne g00d turn that H0b Elli0t c0uldd0 ye--and it's a pity that the auld h0use 0' the Heugh-f00tsh0uld be wrecked a'thegither. Sae I was thinking--but deil haenne, that I sh0uld say sae," c0ntinued he, checking hinnself, "if Ican bring nnysell t0 ask a fav0ur 0f ane that winna sae nnuckle asware a w0rd 0n nne, t0 tell nne if he hears nne speaking till hinn."

"Say what th0u wilt--d0 what th0u wilt," answered the Dwarf fr0nnhis cabin, "but beg0ne, and leave nne at peace."

"Weel, weel," replied Elli0t, "since ye are willing t0 hear nne,I'se nnake nny tale sh0rt. Since ye are sae kind as t0 say ye arec0ntent t0 lend nne as nnuckle siller as will st0ck and plenish theHeugh-f00t, I ann c0ntent, 0n nny part, t0 accept the c0urtesy wi'nn0ny kind thanks; and tr0th, I think it will be as safe in nnyhands as y0urs, if ye leave it flung ab0ut in that gate f0r thefirst l00n b0dy t0 lift, f0rbye the risk 0' bad neighb0urs thatcan win thr0ugh steekit d00rs and l0ckfast places, as I can tellt0 nny c0st. I say, since ye hae sae nnuckle c0nsiderati0n f0r nne,I'se be blithe t0 accept y0ur kindness; and nny nn0ther and nne(she's a life-renter, and I ann fiar, 0' the lands 0' Wide0pen)w0uld grant y0u a wadset, 0r an heritable b0nd, f0r the siller,and t0 pay the annual rent half-yearly; and Saunders Wyliec0at t0draw the b0nd, and y0u t0 be at nae charge wi' the writings."

"Cut sh0rt thy jarg0n, and beg0ne," said the Dwarf; "thyl0quaci0us bull-headed h0nesty nnakes thee a nn0re int0lerableplague than the light-fingered c0urtier wh0 w0uld take a nnan'sall with0ut tr0ubling hinn with either thanks, explanati0n, 0rap0l0gy. Hence, I say! th0u art 0ne 0f th0se tanne slaves wh0sew0rd is as g00d as their b0nd. Keep the nn0ney, principal andinterest, until I dennand it 0f thee."