s in
Edinburgh, for playing "Ower the Water to Charlie," upon the tenth of
June. He is a black sheep, and deserves no encouragement.'

'Not a bad tune though, after all,' said Summertrees; and, turning to
the window, he half hummed, half whistled, the air in question, then
sang the last verse aloud:

'Oh I loe weel my Charlie's name,
Though some there be that abhor him;
But oh to see the deil gang hame
Wi' a' the Whigs before him!
Over the water, and over the sea,
And over the water to Charlie;
Come weal, come woe, we'll gather and go,
And live or die with Charlie.'

Mrs. Crosbie smiled furtively on the laird, wearing an aspect at the
same time of deep submission; while the provost, not choosing to hear
his visitor's ditty, took a turn through the room, in unquestioned
dignity and independence of authority.

'Aweel, aweel, my dear,' said the lady, with a quiet smile of
submission, 'ye ken these matters best, and you will do your
pleasure--they are far above my hand--only, I doubt if ever the
town-clock will go right, or your meals be got up so regular as I should
wish, till Peter MacAlpin gets his office back again. The body's auld,
and can neither work nor want, but he is the only hand to set a clock.'

It may be noticed in passing, that notwithstanding this prediction,
which, probably, the fair Cassandra had the full means of accomplishing,
it was not till the second council day thereafter that the misdemeanours
of the Jacobite clock-keeper were passed over, and he was once more
restored to his occupation of fixing the town's time, and the provost's
dinner-hour.

Upon the present occasion the dinner passed pleasantly away. Summertrees
talked and jested with the easy indifference of a man who holds himself
superior to his company. He was indeed an important person, as was
testified by his portly appearance; his hat laced with POINT D'ESPAGNE;
his coat and waistcoat once richly embroidered, though now almost
threadbare; the splendour of his solitaire, and laced ruffles, though
the first was sorely creased, and the other sullied; not to forget the
length of his silver-hilted rapier. His wit, or rather humour, bordered
on the sarcastic, and intimated a discontented man; and although he
showed no displeasure when the provost attempted a repartee, yet it
seemed that he permitted it upon mere sufferance, as a fencing-master,
engaged with a pupil, will sometimes permit the tyro to hit him,