"Dinna be fleyed, my bonny burdy," she said, addressing the unbonnetted young lady, who was still apparently dozing in the corner. "Ye sal hae the twa best greys in Fussie stables; they'll trot ye in in little mair than an hour; an' the ither folk maun just be doin' wi' a pair, as their betters hae dune afore them." The young lady started up in surprise, and looked on the shrewd intelligent features of the well-known Meg Dods, without understanding a syllable of her address. "Haena ye got a tongue i' yer head, for a' ye're sae bonny?" continued the rather uncomplimentary landlady--"maybe the auld wife i' the corner'll hae mair sense. Hear ye what I said? ye sall hae the twa greys--and Jock Brown to drive them; steady brutes a' the three, an' very quick on the road." The elder lady gazed with lack-lustre eyes upon the announcer of these glad tidings. "Greys, did you say?" she asked, catching at the only words she had understood in the address. "Yes, did I. An' ye dinna seem over thankful for the same. I tell ye, if ye hadna a woman o' her word to deal wi', ye wad likely hae nae horses ava';--for here comes ane o' the things thae English idewuts ca's a dug-cart that they come doon wi', filled inside an' out wi' men, and dugs, an' guns--a' hurryin' aff to the muirs, an' neither to haud nor bind if they haena four horses the minute they clap their hands. They'll mak' a grand fecht, ye'll see, to get your twa greys; but bide a wee--the twa greys ye sall hae, if it was the laird o' Dalhousie himsell." And in fact in a very few seconds after the venerable hostess had uttered these sybilline vaticinations, they received an exact fulfiment-- "Four horses on!" exclaimed a voice from the last arrived vehicle, which sorely puzzled the knowing ones of Fushie Brig to determine to what genus or species it belonged. It was a long high carriage, fitted for the conveyance both of men and luggage; and its capabilities in both these respects were, on this occasion, very severely tried. On the high driving-seat were perched two gentlemen, counterbalanced on the dicky-seat behind by two sporting-looking servants. Inside, four other gentlemen found ample room; while a sort of second body swinging below, seemed to carry as many packages, trunks, and portmanteaus, as the hold of a Leith smack. "Four horses on!" repeated the voice, which proceeded from one of the sporting-looking servants on the seat behind. "Blaw awa', my man," murmured Mrs Wilson; "it'll be a gey while or the second pair comes out, for a' yer blawin'. Did ye want onything, sirs?" she inquired, going up to the equipage. "To be sure," answered one of the gentlemen; "four horses immediately--we're pushed for time." "Hech, sirs, so are we a', but time'll hae the best o't," replied the hostess. "Ye maun just hae patience, sirs, for ye canna get on this three hours." "Three hours!" exclaimed the gentleman; "why, what's the matter? Why the deuce don't they get out the horses?"