"In fair daylight?" queried the yeoman; "then, grace o' God, I'se be
wi' ye. But here we are nearer to Heugh-foot than to your house by twa
mile,--hadna ye better e'en gae hame wi' me, and we'll send the callant
on the powny to tell them that you are wi' us, though I believe there's
naebody at hame to wait for you but the servants and the cat."

"Have with you then, friend Hobbie," said the young hunter; "and as I
would not willingly have either the servants be anxious, or puss forfeit
her supper, in my absence, I'll be obliged to you to send the boy as you
propose."

"Aweel, that IS kind, I must say. And ye'll gae hame to Heugh-foot?
They'll be right blithe to see you, that will they."

This affair settled, they walked briskly on a little farther, when,
coming to the ridge of a pretty steep hill, Hobbie Elliot exclaimed,
"Now, Earnscliff, I am aye glad when I come to this very bit--Ye see
the light below, that's in the ha' window, where grannie, the gash auld
carline, is sitting birling at her wheel--and ye see yon other light
that's gaun whiddin' back and forrit through amang the windows? that's
my cousin, Grace Armstrong,--she's twice as clever about the house as my
sisters, and sae they say themsells, for they're good-natured lasses as
ever trode on heather; but they confess themsells, and sae does grannie,
that she has far maist action, and is the best goer about the toun, now
that grannie is off the foot hersell.--My brothers, ane o' them's away
to wait upon the chamberlain, and ane's at Moss-phadraig, that's our led
farm--he can see after the stock just as weel as I can do."

"You are lucky, my good friend, in having so many valuable relations."