cautiousness, "perhaps YOU will be hearing of the ship?"

"The consul will not be remembering what he hears of all the ships,"
interposed the young girl, with the same gentle affectation of superior
worldly knowledge which had before amused him. "We'll be wearying him,
father," and the subject dropped.

The consul, glancing around the room again, but always returning to the
sweet and patient seriousness of the young girl's face and the grave
decorum of her father, would have liked to ask another question, but it
was presently anticipated; for when he had exhausted the current topics,
in which both father and daughter displayed a quiet sagacity, and he had
gathered a sufficient knowledge of their character to seem to justify
Gray's enthusiasm, and was rising to take his leave, the young girl said
timidly:--

"Would ye not let Bessie take your horse to the grass field over yonder,
and yourself stay with us to dinner? It would be most kind, and you
would meet a great friend of yours who will be here."

"Mr. Gray?" suggested the consul audaciously. Yet he was greatly
surprised when the young girl said quietly, "Ay."

"He'll be coming in the loch with his yacht," said the old man. "It's
not so expensive lying here as at Bannock, I'm thinking; and the men
cannot gang ashore for drink. Eh, but it's an awful waste o' pounds,
shillings, and pence, keeping these gowks in idleness with no feeshin'
nor carrying of passengers."

"Ay, but it's better Mr. Gray should pay them for being decent and