quor ebbed away. In this position the can remained for some time, not altogether for the purpose of prolonging the draught, but rather to afford time, for more effectually scanning the countenance of the young man, who was the subject of his inquiry.

"Pshaw!" said he, at length, in a sort of half whisper, as he withdrew his mouth from the exhausted vessel, and turned it towards the ear of the man whom he questioned" wish ye mayn't ha' done us some ugly turn here, Sam, wi' your cursed haste. I see nought about the lad as is suspicious as you call it. You should not ha' been so risky, without some werry strong cause. Now, ye ha' brought un here, what a fiend shall we do wi' un? An we were to let un go now, our game would be up, for an he should blow on us, we should all be rooted out, neck and crop. Then as for any other way of disposing on un, 'twere as well not to do such a thing, unless when we cannot do without it. But, stay, I mun question un a bit, and, d'ye hear, look sharply to the door, for happen what may, he must not budge hence till the Sans-pareille is off. But, mark me," added he with a wink,

"mark me, how I shall sand his eyes, and gammon him.”

Then raising his voice so as to address Amherst, and throwing a sort of horrid smile into his broad ogre-looking face

"Young man," said he, " or mayhap I should call you young gemman,—but I am not much up to manners, there must be some mistake here— your name bea'n't John Larkins, be it ?"

"No!" said Amherst, with cool dignity. "I am no such person; but I should be glad to be informed why I have been thus seized, and brought hither in so rude a manner ?"

The monster affected to burst into an uncontrollable fit of laughter, that shook the whole of the crazy tenement, and which he seemed with difficulty to subdue.

Then appearing, at length.

to gather the command of words

A most whimsical blunder, ha! ha! ha! a most ridiculous accident! truly absurd! trust me, young gemman, 'twas nought else than a joke on a neighbour of mine, and Sam has hit on the wrong person, that's all. But, come, let us make some amends, Sam; come, bear a hand, for I can't, ye know,—bear a hand, I tell ye, and

trundle in that 'ere box, and let the gemman have a seat, and summat to drink, in this our castle of the cliffs, you understand.-You must know, Sir, that though I am nought now but poor Bellybags the mumper, without legs or arms, as jogs as far as the edge of the great road every morning, in this here chair drawn by them 'ere bull-dogs, with young Tarry-breeches yonder as my coachman, to beg a few pence, and to take the air, I have seed some service in my day, when I were all right and tight as to fins and pins, and could hop about the decks like a dancing-master. I were then a gay one, d'ye

see.

But thoff I be now a hulk, I ha' still gotten a shot in the locker. A can, ye rogue, Tarry," cried he, to the boy, who jumped up at 66 a can for the gemman on

his loud summons;

the box, d'ye hear. You'll take a drop of grog to wet your whistle, Sir, since chance has brought you here? and a pipe, Sir, won't ye? The 'bacco is real good weed. We can sing ye some rare chaunts, and tell ye some merry tales; and let me tell ye, our music will be more pleasanter than that 'ere howling wind, and battering rain, and this cabin better than the beach, just at this

moment, though mayhap not quite so good as the house that you may be customed to !"

These words issued from the cavernous lips of this gigantic head, with an air of so much good nature, and there was something so much like adventure in the affair, that Amherst felt very much inclined to accept of this strange invitation, in support of which inclination, the elements without were urging very loud arguments. But reflecting that his absence might occasion uneasiness to his friend Cleaver, he resolved to make the best of his way homewards, in spite of the storm, and he accordingly signified his intention in the civilest terms he could use.

The mumper seemed to be considerably perplexed, as Amherst was making his reply, and just as he was preparing to leave the cabin, the bulky man in the pilot's coat, and brown wig, who seemed hitherto to have endeavoured to conceal himself by slouching his hat, and leaning backward against the wall, suddenly started up, and calling to the two men who were stationed at the door" Let him not pass at your peril," my masters! I must have more speech of him

1

ere he goes," he discovered to the wondering eyes of Amherst the features of Lochandhu!!!

66

Macgillivray!" exclaimed Amherst with an astonishment which, as his action and expression sufficiently testified, had nothing feigned in it. "Lochandhu here!-Good Heavens! when did you arrive in England? and what has brought you hither?-to meet you in such a place too!"

Thus far he was hurried by the recollection of the Highlander's hospitality; but other images crowding upon his mind, he paused, and a sudden chill, not of fear, but of horror, came over him, as he called to mind the desperate associates with whom he too certainly knew that Lochandhu was leagued in his own country, and as he now looked around him on those with whom he found him consorting in England.

Lochandhu gazed anxiously upon him in silence for some moments with a scrutinizing eye, as if he would have dived into his very soul.

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"No!" said he at length, " it is impossibleI cannot be mistaken, your surprise is too natural to be that of an actor; besides, I have formerly seen too much honour in you to believe that you could ever bring yourself to betray the man whose