they haena four horses the minute they clap their
hands. They'll mak' a grand fecht, ye'll see, to get your twa greys;
but bide a wee--the twa greys ye sall hae, if it was the laird o'
Dalhousie himsell."

And in fact in a very few seconds after the venerable hostess had
uttered these sybilline vaticinations, they received an exact
fulfiment--

"Four horses on!" exclaimed a voice from the last arrived vehicle,
which sorely puzzled the knowing ones of Fushie Brig to determine to
what genus or species it belonged. It was a long high carriage, fitted
for the conveyance both of men and luggage; and its capabilities in
both these respects were, on this occasion, very severely tried. On
the high driving-seat were perched two gentlemen, counterbalanced on
the dicky-seat behind by two sporting-looking servants. Inside, four
other gentlemen found ample room; while a sort of second body swinging
below, seemed to carry as many packages, trunks, and portmanteaus, as
the hold of a Leith smack. "Four horses on!" repeated the voice, which
proceeded from one of the sporting-looking servants on the seat
behind.

"Blaw awa', my man," murmured Mrs Wilson; "it'll be a gey while or the
second pair comes out, for a' yer blawin'. Did ye want onything,
sirs?" she inquired, going up to the equipage.

"To be sure," answered one of the gentlemen; "four horses
immediately--we're pushed for time."

"Hech, sirs, so are we a', but time'll hae the best o't," replied the
hostess. "Ye maun just hae patience, sirs, for ye canna get on this
three hours."

"Three hours!" exclaimed the gentleman; "why, what's the matter? Why
the deuce don't they get out the horses?"

"Just for the same raison the Hielanman couldna' get out the bawbee,"
replied the imperturbable Meg Dods; "the deil a plack was in his
pouch, puir body--an' sae, ye see, ye maun just stay still."

"My lord," interposed one of the servants, touching his hat, "there's
a pair of very natty greys just coming out of the stable, and a pair
of bays with the harness on. I have seen them in stall"--

"Then let us have them, Charles, by all means," replied his lordship.

"Yes, my lord."

In a very short time high words were heard, from which it was evident
that by no means a complimentary opinion was entertained of the
gentlemanly conduct of the nobleman's dependant by the guard and
ornament of the plain chariot.

"I say, my fine chap, you leave them there grey 'osses alone, will ye?
th