himself surrounded in his progress, like a stately merchantman in the Gut of Gibraltar, (I hope the ladies will excuse the tarpaulin phrase,) by three Algerine gallies.
"Gude guide us, Mr Balderstone!" said Mrs Girder.
"Wha wad hae thought it of an auld and kenn'd friend!" said the mother.
"No sae muckle as stay to receive our thanks," said the cooper himself, "and frae the like o' me that seldom offer them. I am sure I hope there's nae ill seed sawn between us, Mr Balderstone—Ony man that has said to ye, I am no gratefu' for the situation of Queen's cooper, let me hae a whample at him wi' mine eatche[1]—that's a'."
"My good friends—my dear friends," said Caleb, still doubting how the certainty of the matter might stand, "what needs a' this ceremony?—ane tries to serve their friends, and sometimes they may happen to prosper, and sometimes to misgi'e—nae-
- ↑ Anglice, adze.
