desired him to walk into the parlour; and added "John, my lad, you may
come in, and see them too, if you like." Mr. Martin examined them, and
found them exceedingly curious. He was looking at one of the coins at the
window, when Mrs. Martin kindly enquired of Archie, how all his neighbours
were, up the dale. "Thank ye, ma'am, all are well, excepting Mr. Scott's
family at Craigie Hall, where poor little Marion is very ill. I am going,
when I leave the Minister, to Langholm, for Mr. Armstrong; as her father
was so distressed, that Mrs. Scott was afraid to let her husband come
himself." "If that is the case, Archie," said Mr. Martin, coming forward,
"I won't detain you another minute. Put up all your coins, and leave them
in my care till your return; and if you find Mr. Armstrong at home, tell
him he will oblige me by calling here, on his way, to let us know how the
poor little girl is. For the sake of her parents, I trust she will shortly
recover."

Archie set off immediately, and Mr. Martin and his family sat conversing
together till the usual hour of going to supper, when one of the servants
looked in, and said, "if you please, Sir, did you send John any where?"
"No, indeed;" answered Mr. Martin. "is he not in the kitchen?" "No, Sir,"
answered the maid; "and I cannot find him any where; the herd tells me,
that, as he was driving his sheep home, he saw John run down the lane as
fast as he could, and then down the holm. Colin thought he had forgotten
his fishing-rod, and was gone to fetch it, but he must have been back long
before this time, had that been his errand." This account seriously
alarmed both Mr. and Mrs. Martin; for it was very possible, that, in
looking for the fishing-rod, he might have fallen into the river. Mr.
Martin, therefore, anxiously took his hat and went in search of him. He
had become most truly attached to the boy, and would have been grieved to
the heart had any harm befallen him. After searching all along the river,
for nearly a mile, he was on the point of returning to get some assistance