m. Next a heavy step was heard lumbering up, and
Mac-Guffog's voice in the character of pilot--'This way, this way; take
care of the step; that's the room.' Bertram's door was then unbolted, and
to his great surprise and joy his terrier, Wasp, rushed into the
apartment and almost devoured him with caresses, followed by the massy
form of his friend from Charlie's Hope.

'Eh whow! Eh whow!' ejaculated the honest farmer, as he looked round upon
his friend's miserable apartment and wretched accommodation--'What's this
o't! what's this o't!'

'Just a trick of fortune, my good friend,' said Bertram, rising and
shaking him heartily by the hand, 'that's all.'

'But what will be done about it? or what CAN be done about it?' said
honest Dandie. 'Is't for debt, or what is't for?'

'Why, it is not for debt,' answered Bertram; 'and if you have time to sit
down, I'll tell you all I know of the matter myself.'

'If I hae time?' said Dandie, with an accent on the word that sounded
like a howl of derision. 'Ou, what the deevil am I come here for, man,
but just ance errand to see about it? But ye'll no be the waur o'
something to eat, I trow; it's getting late at e'en. I tell'd the folk at
the Change, where I put up Dumple, to send ower my supper here, and the
chield Mac-Guffog is agreeable to let it in; I hae settled a' that. And
now let's hear your story. Whisht, Wasp, man! wow, but he's glad to see
you, poor thing!'

Bertram's story, being confined to the accident of Hazlewood, and the
confusion made between his own identity and that of one of the smugglers
who had been active in the assault of Woodbourne, and chanced to bear the
same name, was soon told. Dinmont listened very attentively. 'Aweel,' he
said, 'this suld be nae sic dooms desperate business surely; the lad's
doing weel again that was hurt, and what signifies twa or three lead
draps in his shouther? if ye had putten out his ee it would hae been
another case. But eh, as I wuss auld Sherra Pleydell was to the fore
here! Od, he was the man for sorting them, and the queerest rough-spoken
deevil too that ever ye heard!'

'But now tell me, my excellent friend, how did you find out I was here?'

'Od, lad, queerly eneugh,' said Dandie; 'but I'll tell ye that after we
are done wi' our supper, for it will maybe no be sae weel to speak about
it while that lang-lugged limmer o' a lass is gaun flisking in and out o'
the room.'

Bertram's curiosity was in some degree put to re