a statute for him--But no
matter; he took the sands after the splore at the Quaker's fish-traps
yonder; for he has a leal heart, the laird, and is always true to the
country-side. But avast--is all snug here?'

So saying, he suddenly turned on Alan Fairford the light side of the
lantern he carried, who, by the transient gleam which it threw in
passing on the man who bore it, saw a huge figure, upwards of six
feet high, with a rough hairy cap on his head, and a set of features
corresponding to his bulky frame. He thought also he observed pistols at
his belt.

'I will answer for this gentleman,' said Mr. Trumbull; 'he must be
brought to speech of the laird.'

'That will be kittle steering,' said the subordinate personage; 'for I
understood that the laird and his folk were no sooner on the other
side than the land-sharks were on them, and some mounted lobsters from
Carlisle; and so they were obliged to split and squander. There are new
brooms out to sweep the country of them, they say; for the brush was a
hard one; and they say there was a lad drowned;--he was not one of the
laird's gang, so there was the less matter.'

'Peace! prithee, peace, Job Rutledge,' said honest, pacific Mr.
Trumbull. 'I wish thou couldst remember, man, that I desire to know
nothing of your roars and splores, your brooms and brushes. I dwell here
among my own people; and I sell my commodity to him who comes in the
way of business; and so wash my hands of all consequences, as becomes
a quiet subject and an honest man. I never take payment, save in ready
money.'

'Aye, aye,' muttered he with the lantern, 'your worship, Mr. Trumbull,
understands that in the way of business.'

'Well, I hope you will one day know, Job,' answered Mr. Trumbull,--'the
comfort of a conscience void of offence, and that fears neither gauger
nor collector, neither excise nor customs. The business is to pass this
gentleman to Cumberland upon earnest business, and to procure him speech
with the Laird of the Solway Lakes--I suppose that can be done? Now I
think Nanty Ewart, if he sails with the brig this morning tide, is the
man to set him forward.'

'Aye, aye, truly is he,' said Job; 'never man knew the Border, dale and
fell, pasture and ploughland, better than Nanty; and he can always bring
him to the laird, too, if you are sure the gentleman's right. But indeed
that's his own look-out; for were he the best man in Scotland, and the
chairman of the d--d Board to boot, a