"Weel, sirs!" said Mrs Lightbody, "wha wad hae thought o' Caleb Balderstone playing an auld acquaintance sic a pliskie!"
"O, weary on him!" said the spouse of Mr Girder; "and what am I to say to the gudeman?—he'll brain me, if there wasna anither woman in a' Wolf's-hope."
"Hout tout, silly quean," said the mother; "na, na—it's come to muckle, but it's no come to that neither; for an he brain you he maun brain me, and I have gar'd his betters stand back—hands aff is fair play—we maunna heed a bit flyting."
The tramp of horses now announced the arrival of the cooper, with the minister. They had no sooner dismounted than they made for the kitchen fire, for the evening was cool after the thunder-storm, and the woods wet and dirty. The young gudewife, strong in the charms of her Sunday gown and biggonets, threw herself in the way of receiving the first attack, while her mother, like the veteran division of the Ro-
