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knocking him down； but took him by the throat as a milder
proceeding； and shook him。
'Robert！ Robert！' gurgled Shargar； as soon as his choking had
overcome his merriment； 'ye're an awfu' Hielan'man。 Hearken to me。
I beggg yer pardon。 What I was thinkin' o' was'
Robert relaxed his hold。 But Shargar； notwithstanding the lesson
Robert had given him； could hardly speak yet for the enjoyment of
his own device。
'Gin we could only get rid o' Jock Mitchell！' he crowed； and burst
out again。
'He's wi' a wuman i' the Gallowgate；' said Robert。
'Losh； man！' exclaimed Shargar； and started off at full speed。
He was no match for his companion； however。
'Whaur the deevil are ye rinnin' till； ye wirrycow （scarecrow）？'
panted Robert； as he laid hold of his collar。
'Lat me gang； Robert；' gasped Shargar。 'Losh； man！ ye'll be on Black
Geordie in anither ten meenits； an' me ahin' ye upo' Reid Rorie。
An' faith gin we binna at Stanehive afore the Dutchman wi' 's
boddom foremost； it'll be the faut o' the horse and no o' the men。'
Robert's heart gave a bound of hope。
'Hoo 'ill ye get them； Shargar？' he asked eagerly。
'Steal them；' answered Shargar； struggling to get away from the
grasp still upon his collar。
'We micht be hanged for that。'
'Weel； Robert； I'll tak a' the wyte o' 't。 Gin it hadna been for
you； I micht ha' been hangt by this time for ill doin'： for your
sake I'll be hangt for weel doin'； an' welcome。 Come awa'。 To
steal a mairch upo' brither Sandy wi' aucht （eight） horse…huves o'
's ain！ Ha！ ha！ ha！'
They sped along； now running themselves out of breath； now walking
themselves into it again； until they reached a retired hostelry
between the two towns。 Warning Robert not to show himself； Shargar
disappeared round the corner of the house。
Robert grew weary； and then anxious。 At length Shargar's face came
through the darkness。
'Robert；' he whispered； 'gie 's yer bonnet。 I'll be wi' ye in a
moment noo。'
Robert obeyed； too anxious to question him。 In about three minutes
more Shargar reappeared； leading what seemed the ghost of a black
horse； for Robert could see only his eyes； and his hoofs made
scarcely any noise。 How he had managed it with a horse of Black
Geordie's temper； I do not know； but some horses will let some
persons do anything with them： he had drawn his own stockings over
his fore feet； and tied their two caps upon his hind hoofs。
'Lead him awa' quaietly up the road till I come to ye；' said
Shargar； as he took the mufflings off the horse's feet。 'An' min'
'at he doesna tak a nip o' ye。 He's some ill for bitin'。 I'll be
efter ye direckly。 Rorie's saiddlet an' bridled。 He only wants his
carpet…shune。'
Robert led the horse a few hundred yards； then stopped and waited。
Shargar soon joined him； already mounted on Red Roderick。
'Here's yer bonnet； Robert。 It's some foul； I doobt。 But I cudna
help it。 Gang on； man。 Up wi' ye。 Maybe I wad hae better keepit
Geordie mysel'。 But ye can ride。 Ance ye're on； he canna bite ye。'
But Robert needed no encouragement from Shargar。 In his present
mood he would have mounted a griffin。 He was on horseback in a
moment。 They trotted gently through the streets； and out of the
town。 Once over the Dee； they gave their horses the rein； and off
they went through the dark drizzle。 Before they got half…way they
were wet to the skin； but little did Robert； or Shargar either； care
for that。 Not many words passed between them。
'Hoo 'ill ye get the horse （plural） in again； Shargar？' asked
Robert。
'Afore I get them back；' answered Shargar； 'they'll be tired eneuch
to gang hame o' themsel's。 Gin we had only had the luck to meet
Jock！that wad hae been gran'。'
'What for that？'
'I wad hae cawed Reid Rorie ower the heid o' 'm； an' left him
lyin'the coorse villain！'
The horses never flagged till they drew up in the main street of
Stonehaven。 Robert ran down to the harbour to make inquiry； and
left Shargar to put them up。
The moon had risen； but the air was so full of vapour that she only
succeeded in melting the darkness a little。 The sea rolled in
front； awful in its dreariness； under just light enough to show a
something unlike the land。 But the rain had ceased； and the air was
clearer。 Robert asked a solitary man； with a telescope in his hand；
whether he was looking out for the Amphitrite。 The man asked him
gruffly in return what he knew of her。 Possibly the nature of the
keg to be put on board had something to do with his Scotch reply。
Robert told him he was a friend of the captain； had missed the
boat； and would give any one five shillings to put him on board。
The man went away and returned with a companion。 After some
further questioning and bargaining； they agreed to take him。 Robert
loitered about the pier full of impatience。 Shargar joined him。
Day began to break over the waves。 They gleamed with a blue…gray
leaden sheen。 The men appeared coming along the harbour； and
descended by a stair into a little skiff； where a barrel； or
something like one； lay under a tarpaulin。 Robert bade Shargar
good…bye； and followed。 They pushed off； rowed out into the bay；
and lay on their oars waiting for the vessel。 The light grew apace；
and Robert fancied he could distinguish the two horses with one
rider against the sky on the top of the cliffs； moving northwards。
Turning his eyes to the sea； he saw the canvas of the brig； and his
heart beat fast。 The men bent to their oars。 She drew nearer； and
lay to。 When they reached her he caught the rope the sailors threw；
was on board in a moment； and went aft to the captain。 The Dutchman
stared。 In a few words Robert made him understand his object；
offering to pay for his passage； but the good man would not hear of
it。 He told him that the lady and gentleman had come on board as
brother and sister： the baron was too knowing to run his head into
the noose of Scotch law。
'I cannot throw him over the board；' said the skipper； 'and what am
I to do？ I am afraid it is of no use。 Ah！ poor thing！'
By this time the vessel was under way。 The wind freshened。 Mysie
had been ill ever since they left the month of the river： now she
was much worse。 Before another hour passed； she was crying to be
taken home to her papa。 Still the wind increased； and the vessel
laboured much。
Robert never felt better； and if it had not been for the cause of
his sea…faring； would have thoroughly enjoyed it。 He put on some
sea…going clothes of the captain's； and set himself to take his
share in working the brig； in which he was soon proficient enough to
be useful。 When the sun rose； they were in a tossing wilderness of
waves。 With the sunrise； Robert began to think he had been guilty
of a great folly。 For what could he do？ How was he to prevent the
girl from going off with her lover the moment they landed？ But his
poor attempt would verify his willingness。
The baron came on deck now and then； looking bored。 He had not
calculated on having to nurse the girl。 Had Mysie been well； he
could have amused himself with her； for he found her ignorance
interesting。 As it was； he felt injured； and indeed disgusted at
the result of the experiment。
On the third day the wind abated a little； but towards night it blew
hard again； and it was not until they reached the smooth waters of
the Scheldt that Mysie made her appearance on deck； looking
dreadfully ill； and altogether like a miserable； unhappy child。 Her
beauty was greatly gone； and Lord Rothie did not pay her much
attention。
Robert had as yet made no attempt to communicate with her； for there
was scarcely a chance of her concealing a letter from the baron。
But as soon as they were in smooth water； he wrote one； telling her
in the simplest language that the baron was a bad man； who had
amused himself by making many women fall in love with him； and then
leaving them miserable： he knew one of them himself。
Having finished his letter； he began to look abroad over the smooth
water； and the land smooth as the water。 He saw tall poplars； the
spires of the forest； and rows of round…headed dumpy trees； like
domes。 And he saw that all the buildings like churches； had either
spires like poplars； or low round domes like those other trees。 The
domes gave an eastern aspect to the country。 The spire of Antwerp
cathedral especially had the poplar for its model。 The pinnacles
which rose from the base of each successive start of its narrowing
height were just the clinging； upright branches of the poplara
lovely instance of Art following Nature's suggestion。
CHAPTER XXIII。
ROBERT FINDS A NEW INSTRUMENT。
At length the vessel lay alongside the quay； and as Mysie stepped
from its side the skipper found an opportunity of giving her
Robert's let