cedence is not thought of, except by the
fireside, with aged people or a minister of the Gospel in presence.

She smoothed her brow, however, when she regained sight of the young
men. They were on their knees in the entrance of a cavern, carefully
managing a smouldering peat so as to obtain a fire. It was ticklish
work; for the peat had been left to itself rather too long; and chips
and shavings were things never seen in these parts. A wisp of dry
grass, or a few fibres of heather, were made to serve instead; and it
was not easy to create with these heat enough to kindle fresh peats. At
last, however, it was done; and eggs were poked in, here and there, to
roast. The cockles must be roasted, too; and two or three little
mouse-coloured birds, the young of the eider-duck, were broiled as soon
as plucked. So much for the eating. As for the drinking, there was
nothing but pure whisky, unless the lady could drink sea-water. Thirsty
as she was she thought of the drip in the cave; but, besides that it was
far to go, and scanty when obtained, she remembered all the slime she
had seen, and she did not know whence that drip came. So she gulped
down two or three mouthfuls of whisky, and was surprised to find how
little she disliked it, and how well it agreed with her after her walk.

As soon as Rollo could attend to her, she told him where she had spent
the night--how she had resolved to live with his mother, and in sight of
the harbour--and how she wanted two or more rooms built for her at the
end of the widow's cottage, unless, indeed, she could get a boat built
instead, to take her over to the main, for which she would engage to pay
hereafter whatever should be asked. Rollo told his companion this; and
they both laughed so at the idea of the boat, that the lady rose in
great anger, and walked away. Rollo attended her, and pointed to his
raft, saying that there was no other such craft as even that in the
island; and people did not think of boats, even in their dreams, though
he could fancy that any lady in the south might, for he had heard that
boats were common in the south. But, he went on to say, if she could
not have a boat, she might have a house.

"Will you help to build it?" asked the lady. "Will your companion--will
all the people you know--help me to build it?"

"Why, yes," Rollo replied. "We shall have to build some sort of a
cottage for the minister that is coming--for the minister and his wife;
and w