The mist was now rapidly thinning away, and I could distinguish the high bank black against the sky. It was a joyful sight, and induced, by a natural association, the pleasant thought of the comforter in my pocket. I took a mighty dram; then feeling for Aleck's head (he had lain down, streaming like Father Nile in the pictures, among the rushes, at my feet), I directed the bottle's mouth to his. He had been making his moan in an under-whine ever since I first heard him lamenting his condition on the opposite side; but no sooner did his lips feel the smooth insinuator's presence, than (his tongue being put out of the way) they closed with instinctive affection, and went together when the long embrace was past, with a smack quite cheering. Then slowly rising, and fetching a deep sigh as he gathered himself together, "Lord, Lord," said he "I'm nane the waur o' that. But, Master William, to tell God's truth, I dinna ken whaur we are. That we hae crossed Glen---- water, or the Hill-head burn, or the Marcher's dyke, I'm positive sure; but whilk I'm no just equal to say--but there's somethin' black atween us and the lift; I judge it to be Dunmoss Cairn: let's haud on to it, and we maun soon come to biggit wa's." So saying, he led me forward in the direction of what seemed to me also a distant hill; but being occupied in placing my footsteps I had ceased to look at it, when all at once there was a crush of leaves about my head, and I found myself under a green tree. "When will this weary night of error have an end?" I mentally exclaimed; but was surprised by Aleck taking my hand, rubbing the palm along the rough stem, and asking in an elate tone what I felt? "A damnably rough bark," growled I; "what do you mean?" He cut a caper full three feet into the air. "Here is a pleasant occurrence now--this rascal is drunk--he will roll into the next ditch and suffocate--I shall be the death of the poor fellow--I shall lose"--here he broke my agreeable meditations. "I'll tell you how it was, Master William; Jeanie and I were partners at the shearin' ("Evidently drunk," thought I), and I canna tell how it was ("I well believe you--you can not--but 'twas all my own folly," I muttered), but I found the maid in a sair fluster that e'en when we parted: ("You'll be in sorer fluster presently if I begin to you--you drunken idiot!" was my running commentary,) and sae just as I came by this auld thorn"--"Then you _do_ know where you are--do you?" I cried aloud.--"Sure enough," said he, "for didn't I carve my heart wi' Jeanie's heuk stuck out through it that very night; and isna it here to this minute?"--"Oh, ho, lead on then, in God's name; but tell me where we are, and how far we have to go."--"Why," said he, "the bridge is just a step overby that we ought to hae crossed; and troth, I wonner a dishfu' at mysell for no kennin' the black moss and the dolochan's hole that we hae just come through; for I hae cut turf in the ane, and weshed in the ither, since I was the