carried it over to Mr. Scott's.

On John's arrival, it was unluckily damp, and Marion's mother had desired
her not to go out. He therefore peeped around the house a long time to no
purpose, and was at last obliged to go up and knock boldly at the door, in
order to deliver his present; otherwise he would have had to take it home
and return another day with it, which he thought would be a pity, as the
beauty of the moss would be impaired if immediate precaution were not
taken to prevent it. Mrs. Scott opened the door herself. "John Telfer, I
declare!" cried she. "What can possibly have brought you here so late? I
hope no accident has happened that you are not gone to the Minister's as
usual." "No," said John, "there is no accident; the minister could not
have me to read to-night, for the family are all occupied with the arrival
of Capt. Elliot. He was expected to dine there to day, and I took the
opportunity, with Will Oliver's leave, to go up to the black moor to get
some moss for Marion. She told me she wanted to make a table for her
bower, and I have brought her this, which I hope she will accept."

"Oh!" cried Marion, who had been reading to her father, "what a beautiful
sight! Did you ever see so much pink moss together?" "Indeed," said Mr.
Scott, taking the basket out of his hand, "I have seldom seen so fine a
specimen. I think, if you take pains with your table, it will surpass that
which the ladies at the lodge have made, and theirs is reckoned the most
beautiful in the country. I am sure, John, you must have had a great deal
of trouble and fatigue to get at this. Pray, wife, give the boy something
to eat, he must be hungry." "I don't mind the trouble a bit," said John,
"if Marion is pleased; but I can't stop to eat any thing, for it is
growing late, and I must run home as fast as I can, that I may be in time
to play to Will, or he will be angry, and never let me go again." So
saying he ran off, and scarcely slackened his pace till he reached Mr.