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decent body； for he's no used till 't。 What does he want wi' you；
Robert？'
But Robert had a reason for not telling his grandmother what the boy
had told him： he thought the news about his mother would only make
her disapprove of him the more。 In this he judged wrong。 He did
not know his grandmother yet。
'He's in my class at the schuil；' said Robert； evasively。
'Him？ What class； noo？'
Robert hesitated one moment； but； compelled to give some answer；
said； with confidence；
'The Bible…class。'
'I thocht as muckle！ What gars ye play at hide and seek wi' me？ Do
ye think I dinna ken weel eneuch there's no a lad or a lass at the
schuil but 's i' the Bible…class？ What wants he here？'
'Ye hardly gae him time to tell me； grannie。 Ye frichtit him。'
'Me fricht him！ What for suld I fricht him； laddie？ I'm no sic
ferlie （wonder） that onybody needs be frichtit at me。'
The old lady turned with visible； though by no means profound
offence upon her calm forehead； and walking back into her parlour；
where Robert could see the fire burning right cheerily； shut the
door； and left him and Betty standing together in the transe。 The
latter returned to the kitchen； to resume the washing of the
dinner…dishes； and the former returned to his post at the window。
He had not stood more than half a minute； thinking what was to be
done with his school…fellow deserted of his mother； when the sound
of a coach…horn drew his attention to the right； down the street；
where he could see part of the other street which crossed it at
right angles； and in which the gable of the house stood。 A minute
after； the mail came in sightscarlet； spotted with snowand
disappeared； going up the hill towards the chief hostelry of the
town； as fast as four horses； tired with the bad footing they had
had through the whole of the stage； could draw it after them。 By
this time the twilight was falling； for though the sun had not yet
set； miles of frozen vapour came between him and this part of the
world； and his light was never very powerful so far north at this
season of the year。
Robert turned into the kitchen； and began to put on his shoes。 He
had made up his mind what to do。
'Ye're never gaein' oot； Robert？' said Betty； in a hoarse tone of
expostulation。
''Deed am I； Betty。 What for no？'
'You 'at's been in a' day wi' a sair heid！ I'll jist gang benn the
hoose and tell the mistress； and syne we'll see what she'll please
to say till 't。'
'Ye'll do naething o' the kin'； Betty。 Are ye gaein' to turn
clash…pyet （tell…tale） at your age？'
'What ken ye aboot my age？ There's never a man…body i' the toon
kens aught aboot my age。'
'It's ower muckle for onybody to min' upo' （remember）； is 't；
Betty？'
'Dinna be ill…tongued； Robert； or I'll jist gang benn the hoose to
the mistress。'
'Betty； wha began wi' bein' ill…tongued？ Gin ye tell my grandmither
that I gaed oot the nicht； I'll gang to the schuilmaister o'
Muckledrum； and get a sicht o' the kirstenin' buik； an' gin yer name
binna there； I'll tell ilkabody I meet 'at oor Betty was never
kirstened； and that'll be a sair affront； Betty。'
'Hoot！ was there ever sic a laddie！' said Betty； attempting to laugh
it off。 'Be sure ye be back afore tay…time； 'cause yer grannie 'ill
be speirin' efter ye； and ye wadna hae me lee aboot ye？'
'I wad hae naebody lee about me。 Ye jist needna lat on 'at ye hear
her。 Ye can be deif eneuch when ye like； Betty。 But I s' be back
afore tay…time； or come on the waur。'
Betty； who was in far greater fear of her age being discovered than
of being unchristianized in the search； though the fact was that she
knew nothing certain about the matter； and had no desire to be
enlightened； feeling as if she was thus left at liberty to hint what
she pleased；Betty； I say； never had any intention of going 'benn
the hoose to the mistress。' For the threat was merely the rod of
terror which she thought it convenient to hold over the back of the
boy； whom she always supposed to be about some mischief except he
were in her own presence and visibly reading a book： if he were
reading aloud； so much the better。 But Robert likewise kept a rod
for his defence； and that was Betty's age； which he had discovered
to be such a precious secret that one would have thought her virtue
depended in some cabalistic manner upon the concealment of it。 And；
certainly； nature herself seemed to favour Betty's weakness； casting
such a mist about the number of her years as the goddesses of old
were wont to cast about a wounded favourite； for some said Betty was
forty； others said she was sixty…five； and； in fact； almost
everybody who knew her had a different belief on the matter。
By this time Robert had conquered the difficulty of induing boots as
hard as a thorough wetting and as thorough a drying could make them；
and now stood prepared to go。 His object in setting out was to find
the boy whom his grandmother had driven from the door with a hastier
and more abject flight than she had in the least intended。 But； if
his grandmother should miss him； as Betty suggested； and inquire
where he had been； what was he to say？ He did not mind misleading
his grannie； but he had a great objection to telling her a lie。 His
grandmother herself delivered him from this difficulty。
'Robert； come here；' she called from the parlour door。 And Robert
obeyed。
'Is 't dingin' on； Robert？' she asked。
'No； grannie； it's only a starnie o' drift。'
The meaning of this was that there was no fresh snow falling； or
beating on； only a little surface snow blowing about。
'Weel； jist pit yer shune on； man； and rin up to Miss Naper's upo'
the Squaur； and say to Miss Naper； wi' my compliments； that I wad be
sair obleeged till her gin she wad len' me that fine receipt o' hers
for crappit heids； and I'll sen' 't back safe the morn's mornin'。
Rin； noo。'
This commission fell in admirably with Robert's plans； and he
started at once。
CHAPTER III。
THE BOAR'S HEAD。
Miss Napier was the eldest of three maiden sisters who kept the
principal hostelry of Rothieden； called The Boar's Head； from which；
as Robert reached the square in the dusk； the mail…coach was moving
away with a fresh quaternion of horses。 He found a good many boxes
standing upon the pavement close by the archway that led to the
inn…yard； and around them had gathered a group of loungers； not too
cold to be interested。 These were looking towards the windows of
the inn； where the owner of the boxes had evidently disappeared。
'Saw ye ever sic a sicht in oor toon afore！' said Dooble Sanny； as
people generally called him； his name being Alexander Alexander；
pronounced； by those who chose to speak of him with the ordinary
respect due from one mortal to another； Sandy Elshender。 Double
Sandy was a soutar； or shoemaker； remarkable for his love of