e), a very
hearty, friendly tarpauling of a man, but at the moment in rather of a
bustle. There had no other of the passengers yet appeared, so that I was
left to walk about upon the deck, viewing the prospect and wondering a
good deal what these farewells should be which I was promised.

All Edinburgh and the Pentland Hills glinted above me in a kind of
smuisty brightness, now and again overcome with blots of cloud; of Leith
there was no more than the tops of chimneys visible, and on the face of
the water, where the haar[24] lay, nothing at all. Out of this I was
presently aware of a sound of oars pulling, and a little after (as if
out of the smoke of a fire) a boat issued. There sat a grave man in the
stern sheets, well muffled from the cold, and by his side a tall,
pretty, tender figure of a maid that brought my heart to a stand. I had
scarce the time to catch my breath in, and be ready to meet her, as she
stepped upon the deck, smiling, and making my best bow, which was now
vastly finer than some months before when I first made it to her
ladyship. No doubt we were both a good deal changed; she seemed to have
shot up taller, like a young, comely tree. She had now a kind of pretty
backwardness that became her well, as of one that regarded herself more
highly and was fairly woman; and for another thing, the hand of the same
magician had been at work upon the pair of us, and Miss Grant had made
us both _braw_, if she could make but the one _bonny_.

The same cry, in words not very different, came from both of us, that
the other was come in compliment to say farewell, and then we perceived
in a flash we were to ship together.

"O, why will not Baby have been telling me!" she cried; and then
remembered a letter she had been given, on the condition of not opening
it till she was well on board. Within was an enclosure for myself, and
ran thus:

"DEAR DAVIE,--What do you think of my farewell? and what
do you say to your fellow-passenger? Did you kiss, or did you
ask? I was about to have signed here, but that would leave the
purport of my question doubtful; and in my own case _I ken the
answer_. So fill up here with good advice. Do not be too
blate,[25]
and for God's sake do not try to be too forward; nothing sets
you
worse. I am

"Your affectionate friend and governess,

"BARBARA GRANT."

I wrote a word of answer and compliment on a leaf out of my pocketboo