made purchase of a small golden chaplet, with the private intention of presenting it to Brenda, when he should find an opportunity. The price was fixed, and the article was laid aside. Claud Halcro also showed some desire of possessing a silver box of antique shape, for depositing tobacco, which he was in the habit of using in considerable quantity. But the bard seldom had current coin in promptitude, and indeed, in his wandering way of life, had little occasion for any; and Bryce, on the other hand, his having been hitherto a ready-money trade, protested, that his very moderate profits upon such rare and choice articles, would not allow of his affording credit to the purchaser. Mordaunt gathered the import of this conversation from the mode in which they whispered together, while the bard seemed to advance a wishful finger towards the box in question, and the cautious pedler detained it with the weight of his whole hand, as if he had been afraid it would literally make itself wings, and fly into Claud Halcro's pocket. Mordaunt Mertoun at this moment, desirous to gratify an old acquaintance, laid the price of the box on the table, and said he would not permit Master Halcro to purchase that box, as he had settled in his own mind to make him a present of it.

"I can not think upon robbing you, my dear young friend," said the poet, "but the truth is, that that same box does remind me strangely of glorious John's, out of which I had the honour to take a pinch at Will's Coffee-house, for which I think more highly of my right-hand finger and thumb than any other part of my body; only you must allow me to pay you back the price when my Urkaster Stockfish come to market."

"Settle that as you like betwixt you," said the jagger, taking up Mordaunt's money; "the box is bought and sold."

"And how dare you sell over again," said Captain Cleveland, suddenly interfering, "what you already have sold to me?"

All were surprised at this interjection, which was hastily made, as Cleveland, having turned from Mistress Baby, had become suddenly, and, as it seemed, not without emotion, aware what articles Bryce Snaelsfoot was now disposing of. To this short and fierce question the jagger, afraid to contradict a customer of his description, answered only by stammering, that "the Lord knew that he meant nae offence."

"How, sir! no offence!" said the seaman, "" and dispose of my property?" extending his hand at the same time to the box and chaplet; "restore the young gentleman's money, and learn to keep your course on the meridian of honesty."

The jagger, confused and reluctant, pulled out his leathern pouch to repay to Mordaunt the money he had just deposited in it; but the youth was not to be so satisfied.

"The articles," he said "were bought and sold -these were your own words, Bryce Snaelsfoot, in Master Halcro's hearing, and I will suffer neither you nor any other to deprive me of my property."

"Your property, young man?" said Cleveland; "it is mine,-I spoke to Bryce respecting them an instant before I turned from the table."

"I-I-I had not just heard distinctly," said Bryce, evidently unwilling to offend either party.

"Come, come," said the Udaller, "we will have no quarrelling about baubles; we shall be summoned presently to the rigging-loft," so he used to call the apartment used as a ball-room; "and we must all go in good humour; the things shall remain with Bryce for to-night, and to-morrow I will myself settle whom they shall belong to."

The laws of the Udaller in his own house were

absolute as those of the Medes. The two young men, regarding each other with looks of sullen displeasure, drew off in different directions.

It is seldom that the second day of a prolonged festival equals the first. The spirits, as well as the limbs, are jaded, and unequal to the renewed expenditure of animation and exertion; and the dance at Burgh-Westra was sustained with much less mirth than on the preceding evening. It was yet an hour from midnight, when even the reluctant Magnus Troil, after regretting the degeneracy of the times, and wishing he could transfuse into the modern Hialtlanders some of the vigour which still animated his own frame, found himself compelled to give the signal for general retreat.

Just as this took place, Halcro, leading Mordaunt Mertoun a little aside, said he had a message to him from Captain Cleveland.

"A message!" said Mordaunt, his heart beating somewhat thick as he spoke-" A challenge, I suppose?"

to you

"A challenge!" repeated Halcro; "who ever heard of a challenge in our quiet islands? do you think that I look like a carrier of challenges, and of all men living?—I am none of those fighting fools, as glorious John calls them; and it was not quite a message I had to deliver-only thus far, this Captain Cleveland, I find, hath set his heart upon having these articles you looked at." "He shall not have them, I swear to you,' plied Mordaunt Mertoun.

re

66 Nay, but hear me," said Halcro; "it seems that, by the marks or arms that are upon them, he knows that they were formerly his property. Now, were you to give me the box, as you promise, I fairly tell you I should give the man back his own."

"And Brenda might do the like," thought Mordaunt to himself, and instantly replied aloud, "I have thought better of it, my friend. Captain

Cleveland shall have the toys he sets such store by, but it is on one sole condition."

"Nay, you will spoil all with your conditions," said Halcro; for, as glorious John says, condi

tions are but

"Hear me, I say, with patience-My condition is, that he keep the toys in exchange for the riflegun I accepted from him, which will leave no obligation between us on either side."

"I see where you would be-this is Sebastian and Dorax all over. Well, you may let the jagger know he is to deliver the things to Cleveland I think he is mad to have them—and I will let Cleveland know the conditions annexed, otherwise honest Bryce might come by two payments instead of one; and I believe his conscience would not choke upon it."

With these words, Halcro went to seek out Cleveland, while Mordaunt, observing Snaelsfoot, who, as a sort of privileged person, had thrust himself into the crowd at the bottom of the dancingroom, went up to him, and gave him directions to deliver the disputed articles to Cleveland as soon as he had an opportunity.

"Ye are in the right, Master Mordaunt," said the jagger; "ye are a prudent and a sensible lada calm answer turneth away wrath-and mysel, I sall be willing to please you in ony trifling matters in my sma' way; for, between the Udaller of BurghWestra and Captain Cleveland, a man is, as it were, atween the de'il and the deep sea; and it was like that the Udaller, in the end, would have taken your part in the dispute, for he is a man that loves justice."

"Which apparently you care very little about, Master Snaelsfoot," said Mordaunt, "otherwise there could have been no dispute whatsoever, the right being so clearly on my side, if you had VOL.I.

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pleased to bear witness according to the dictates of truth."

"Mr. Mordaunt," said the jagger, "I must own there was, as it were, a colouring or shadow of justice on your side; but then, the justice that I meddle with is only justice in the way of trade, to have an ellwand of due length, if it be not something worn out with leaning on it in my lang and painful journies, and to buy and sell by just weight and measure, twenty-four merks to the lispund; but I have nothing to do, to do justice betwixt man and man, like a Fowde or a Lawright man at a lawting lang syne."

"No one asked you to do so, but only to give evidence according to your conscience," replied Mordaunt, not greatly pleased either with the part the jagger had acted during the dispute, or the construction which he seemed to put on his own motives for yielding up the point.

But Bryce Snaelsfoot wanted not his answer; "My conscience," he said, "Mr. Mordaunt, is as tender as ony man's in my degree; but she is something of a timersome nature, can not abide angry folks, and can never speak above her breath when there is aught of a fray going forward. Indeed, she hath at all times a small and low voice." "Which you are not much in the habit of listening to," said Mordaunt.

There is that on your ain breast that proves the contrary," said Bryce, resolutely.

"In my breast?" said Mordaunt, somewhat angrily, "what know I of you?"

"I said on your breast, Master Mordaunt, andnot in it. I am sure nae eye that looks on that waistcoat upon your own gallant brisket, but will say, that the merchant who sold such a piece for four dollars, had justice and conscience, and a kind heart to a customer to the boot of a' that; sae ye