f he had known you as long as I have don," said Bucklaw, "he would
have found out some twenty more; but hand long stories, give us your
toast, man."

Craigengelt rose, went a-tiptoe to the door, peeped out, shut it
carefully, came back again, clapped his tarnished gold-laced hat on one
side of his head, took his glass in one hand, and touching the hilt of
his hanger with the other, named, "The King over the water."

"I tell you what it is, Captain Craigengelt," said Bucklaw; "I shall
keep my mind to myself on thse subjects, having too much respect for the
memory of my venerable Aunt Girnington to put her lands and tenements
in the way of committing treason against established authority. Bring me
King James to Edinburgh, Captain, with thirty thousand men at his back,
and I'll tell you what I think about his title; but as for running my
neck into a noose, and my good broad lands into the statutory penalties,
'in that case made and provided,' rely upon it, you will find me no such
fool. So, when you mean to vapour with your hanger and your dram-cup
in support of treasonable toasts, you must find your liquor and company
elsewhere."

"Well, then," said Craigengelt, "name the toast yourself, and be it what
it like, I'll pledge you, were it a mile to the bottom."

"And I'll give you a toast that deserves it, my boy," said Bucklaw;
"what say you to Miss Lucy Ashton?"

"Up with it," said the Captain, as he tossed off his brimmer, "the
bonniest lass in Lothian! What a pity the old sneckdrawing Whigamore,
her father, is about to throw her away upon that rag of pride and
beggary, the Master of Ravenswood!"

"That's not quite so clear," said Bucklaw, in a tone which, though it
seemed indifferent, excited his companion's eager curiosity; and not
that only, but also his hope of working himself into some sort of
confidence, which might make him necessary to his patron, being by no
means satisfied to rest on mere sufferance, if he could form by art or
industry a more permanent title to his favour.

"I thought," said he, after a moment's pause, "that was a settled
matter; they are continually together, and nothing else is spoken of
betwixt Lammer Law and Traprain."

"They may say what they please," replied his patron, "but I know better;
and I'll give you Miss Lucy Ashton's health again, my boy."

"And I woul drink it on my knee," said Craigengelt, "if I thought the
girl had the spirit to jilt that d--d son of a Spaniard."

"