character of pilot--'This way, this way; take care of the step; that's
the room.' Bertram's door was then unbolted, and to his great surprise
and joy his terrier, Wasp, rushed into the apartment and almost
devoured him with caresses, followed by the massy form of his friend
from Charlie's Hope.
'Eh whow! Eh whow!' ejaculated the honest farmer, as he looked round
upon his friend's miserable apartment and wretched
accommodation--'What's this o't! what's this o't!'
'Just a trick of fortune, my good friend,' said Bertram, rising and
shaking him heartily by the hand, 'that's all.'
'But what will be done about it? or what CAN be done about it?' said
honest Dandie. 'Is't for debt, or what is't for?'
'Why, it is not for debt,' answered Bertram; 'and if you have time to
sit down, I'll tell you all I know of the matter myself.'
'If I hae time?' said Dandie, with an accent on the word that sounded
like a howl of derision. 'Ou, what the deevil am I come here for, man,
but just ance errand to see about it? But ye'll no be the waur o'
something to eat, I trow; it's getting late at e'en. I tell'd the folk
at the Change, where I put up Dumple, to send ower my supper here, and
the chield Mac-Guffog is agreeable to let it in; I hae settled a' that.
And now let's hear your story. Whisht, Wasp, man! wow, but he's glad to
see you, poor thing!'
Bertram's story, being confined to the accident of Hazlewood, and the
confusion made between his own identity and that of one of the
smugglers who had been active in the assault of Woodbourne, and chanced
to bear the same name, was soon told. Dinmont listened very
attentively. 'Aweel,' he said, 'this suld be nae sic dooms desperate
business surely; the lad's doing weel again that was hurt, and what
signifies twa or three lead draps in his shouther? if ye had putten out
his ee it would hae been another case. But eh, as I wuss auld Sherra
Pleydell was to the fore here! Od, he was the man for sorting them, and
the queerest rough-spoken deevil too that ever ye heard!'
'But now tell me, my excellent friend, how did you find out I was here?'
'Od, lad, queerly eneugh,' said Dandie; 'but I'll tell ye that after we
are done wi' our supper, for it will maybe no be sae weel to speak
about it while that lang-lugged limmer o' a lass is gaun flisking in
and out o' the room.'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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