me in my opinion that
there was something mysterious about the family of the Grange. "Master
William," said he at last, "I canna refuse ye, and you gaun awa',
maybe never to see a lass o' your ain country again; but ye maun
promise never to speak o' whatever ye may see strange aboot the hoose;
for, atween oursells, there are anes expeckit there this verra night
wha's names wadna cannily bear tellin'; and Jeanie trusts me, and I
maunna beguile her. But the waters are out, and we will hae a lang
and cauld tramp through the bogs, sae get a drap o' somethin' for the
road, and I'll hae Tam Herron's Sunday suit ready for you after
bed-time. Saul! ye'll mak a braw weaver wi' the beard; and wi' a' your
Englified discoorsin' ye can talk as like a Christian as ever when ye
like. Nanny will think hersell fitted at last; but ye maunna be ower
crouse wi' Nanny, Master William." I promised everything; waited
impatiently till the family had gone to rest; found Aleck true to his
engagement; put on the clothes he had prepared, and we stole out about
midnight.

It was pitch dark, but fair and calm; so, with the hopes of getting to
our journey's end not wet above the knee, we commenced stumbling and
bolting along the great stones and ruts of the causeway; this we
cleared without any accident, farther than my slipping once into the
ditch, and now found ourselves upon the open hill-side, splashing
freely over the soaked turf and slippery pathway. I was in high
spirits, and though squirting the black puddle to my knees at every
step, and seeing no more of the road I was to travel on than another
one in advance, yet faced onward with great gaiety and good humour.
After some time, however, Aleck began snuffing the air, and, with
evident concern, announced the approach of a mist, which soon
thickened into perceptibility to me also. Our path, which hitherto had
swept across sheep-grazing uplands and grassy knolls, now began to
thread deep rushy bottoms, with here and there a quaking spot of
quagmire, or a mantled stream, which I knew by the cold water running
sharp below, and by the thick, dull gathering of the weeds about my
legs--for the mist made all so dark, that I can only give a blind
man's description. The way now became more intricate and broken, but
still I followed Aleck cheerily, pushing through all obstacles, and
thinking only of the best measures to be taken when we should arrive
at Moyabel, when I suddenly perceived that my foots