Chapter 26 - Page 2

first witnessed the arrival
of the coach and six and its attendants. As they ran one by one past the
Master, calling to each other to "Come and see the auld tower blaw up in
the lift like the peelings of an ingan," he could not but feel himself
moved with indignation. "And these are the sons of my father's vassals,"
he said--"of men bound, both by law and gratitude, to follow our steps
through battle, and fire, and flood; and now the destruction of their
liege lord's house is but a holiday's sight to them."

These exasperating reflections were partly expresssed in the acrimony
with which he exclaimed, on feeling himself pulled by the cloak: "What
do you want, you dog?"

"I am a dog, and an auld dog too," answered Caleb, for it was he who had
taken the freedom, "and I am like to get a dog's wages; but it does not
signification a pinch of sneesing, for I am ower auld a dog to learn new
tricks, or to follow a new master."

As he spoke, Ravenswood attained the ridge of the hill from which Wolf's
Crag was visible; the flames had entirely sunk down, and, to his great
surprise, there was only a dusky reddening upon the clouds immediately
over the castle, which seemed the reflection of the embers of the sunken
fire.

"The place cannot have blown up," said the Master; "we must have heard
the report: if a quarter of the gunpowder was there you tell me of, it
would have been heard twenty miles off."

"It've very like it wad," said Balderstone, composedly.

"Then the fire cannot have reached the vaults?"

"It's like no," answered Caleb, with the same impenetrable gravity.

"Hark ye, Caleb," said his master, "this grows a little too much for
my patience. I must go and examine how matters stand at Wolf's Crag
myself."

"Your honour is ganging to gang nae sic gate," said Caleb, firmly.

"And why not?" said Ravenswood, sharply; "who or what shall prevent me?"

"Even I mysell," said Caleb, with the same determination.

"You, Balderstone!" replied the Master; "you are forgetting yourself, I
think."

"But I think no," said Balderstone; "for I can just tell ye a' about the
castle on this knowe-head as weel as if ye were at it. Only dinna pit
yoursell into a kippage, and expose yoursell before the weans, or before
the Marquis, when ye gang down-bye."

"Speak out, you old fool," replied his master, "and let me know the best
and the worst at once."

"Ou, the best and the warst is, just that the tower is standing hail and
feir, as safe and