and that, if he should "break both his leg and his neck in the first
burn he crossed," he had determined to go again and see her. But what
could she do to prevent things from taking their course? Like other
disconsolate maidens, she might lament in secret, and shed tears of
disappointment and sorrow without number--but this would by no means
mend the matter. Jock, she thought, would make a good husband, if he
had only a wife who knew how to manage him; but, unless something
extraordinary interposed, he was likely to get one who was a still
greater fool than himself; and, at this distance of time, it were
difficult to say how far _benevolence_, and a wish to prevent him from
making himself a mis-sworn man, might have a place in her
cogitations. She thought, also, that she would make a good wife, if it
were only her good fortune to get a husband; but, then, something or
other had always come to thwart her wishes in this respect; and even
now, when the prize seemed almost won, without a miracle, or
something, at least, out of the ordinary course of events, she stood a
fair chance for being again left in the lurch. She felt that it was a
sore matter to have hope from time to time deferred in this manner;
but what to do she could not exactly determine. She, however,
determined to leave nothing undone; and, after her, let none despair!

Whether upon that morning the cows had given an extraordinary quantity
of milk, or whether Nelly had forgotten to empty the milking-pail of
water before she began to milk them, is not known; but, on coming in
from the byre, she could not, by any means, get the cogs to hold the
milk. Her mistress was called; and, after some consultation, Nelly
recollected that "Margaret Crawford"--who was the _herd laddie's_
mother--"had plenty o' milk-dishes; and she would maybe lend them a
cog or twa."

"The drap milk that the cogs winna haud may stand i' the water-pitcher
afore supper-time," she continued; "and Sandy may rin owre to
Gairyburn, after he comes in, and stay a' nicht wi' his mither, and
get the cog, and be back next morning in time to tak oot the kye."

This plan seemed at least feasible; and the farther prosecution of it
was left to Nelly.

"What's the matter wi' the milk the nicht?" inquired Sandy, as Nelly
was hastening him with his supper.

"I ken o' naething that can be the matter," was her reply--"but what's
the matter wi't, say ye?"

"I dinna ken either," said the boy; "but it's tu