squaring timber echoed far and wide. But if the toil of these unearthly
workmen amazed the laird, how much more was his amazement increased when
a sharp shrill voice called out, 'Ho, brother! what are you doing now?' A
voice still shriller responded from the other haunted ship, 'I'm making a
wife to Sandie Macharg!' And a loud quavering laugh running from ship to
ship, and from bank to bank, told the joy they expected from their
labour.

"Now the laird, besides being a devout and a God-fearing man, was shrewd
and bold; and in plot and contrivance, and skill in conducting his
designs, was fairly an overmatch for any dozen land elves; but the water
elves are far more subtle; besides their haunts and their dwellings being
in the great deep, pursuit and detection is hopeless if they succeed in
carrying their prey to the waves. But ye shall hear. Home flew the
laird, collected his family around the hearth, spoke of the signs and the
sins of the times, and talked of mortification and prayer for averting
calamity; and, finally, taking his father's Bible, brass clasps, black
print, and covered with calf-skin, from the shelf, he proceeded without
let or stint to perform domestic worship. I should have told ye that he
bolted and locked the door, shut up all inlet to the house, threw salt
into the fire, and proceeded in every way like a man skilful in guarding
against the plots of fairies and fiends. His wife looked on all this
with wonder; but she saw something in her husband's looks that hindered
her from intruding either question or advice, and a wise woman was she.

"Near the mid-hour of the night the rush of a horse's feet was heard, and
the sound of a rider leaping from its back, and a heavy knock came to the
door, accompanied by a voice, saying, 'The cummer drink's hot, and the
knave bairn is expected at Laird Laurie's to-night; sae mount, good-wife,
and come.'

"'Preserve me!' said the wife of Sandie Macharg, 'that's news indeed; who
could have thought it? The laird has been heirless for seventeen years!
Now, Sandie, my man, fetch me my skirt and hood.'

"But he laid his arm round his wife's neck, and said, 'If all the lairds
in Galloway go heirless, over this door threshold shall you not stir to-
night; and I have said, and I have sworn it; seek not to know why or
wherefore--but, Lord, send us thy blessed mornlight.' The wife looked
for a moment in her husband's eyes, and desisted from further entreaty.

"'Bu