rs, come Martinmas.

When we got to the ingle-side, and, barring the door, saw that all was
safe, it was now three in the morning; so we thought it by much the best
way of managing, not to think of sleeping any more, but to be on the look-
out--as we aye used to be when walking sentry in the volunteers--in case
the flames should, by ony mischancy accident or other, happen to break
out again. My wife blamed my hardihood muckle, and the rashness with
which I had ventured at once to places where even masons and sclaters
were afraid to put foot on; yet I saw, in the interim, that she looked on
me with a prouder eye--knowing herself the helpmate of one that had
courageously risked his neck, and every bone in his skin, in the cause of
humanity. I saw this as plain as a pikestaff, as, with one of her
kindest looks, she insisted on my putting on a better happing to screen
me from the cold, and on my taking something comfortable inwardly towards
the dispelling of bad consequences. So, after half a minute's stand-out,
by way of refusal like, I agreed to a cupful of het-pint, as I thought it
would be a thing Mungo Glen might never have had the good fortune to have
tasted; and as it might operate by way of a cordial on the callant
Benjie, who kept aye smally, and in a dwining way. No sooner said than
done--and off Nanse brushed in a couple of hurries to make the het-pint.

After the small beer was put into the pan to boil, we found to our great
mortification, that there were no eggs in the house, and Benjie was sent
out with a candle to the hen-house, to see if any of the hens had laid
since gloaming, and fetch what he could get. In the middle of the mean
time, I was expatiating to Mungo on what taste it would have, and how he
had never seen any thing finer than it would be, when in ran Benjie, all
out of breath, and his face as pale as a dishclout.

"What's the matter, Benjie, what's the matter?" said I to him rising up
from my chair in a great hurry of a fright--"Has onybody killed ye? or is
the fire broken out again? or has the French landed? or have ye seen a
ghost? or are"--

"Eh, crifty!" cried Benjie, coming till his speech, "they're a' aff--cock
and hens and a'--there's naething left but the rotten nest-egg in the
corner!"

This was an awful dispensation, of which more hereafter. In the midst of
the desolation of the fire--such is the depravity of human nature--some
ne'er-do-weels had taken advantage of my absence