Malcolm

ten years of age, who sat in the bottom of the ruined boat, like a pearl in a decaying oyster shell, one hand arrested

is to-name or nickname was Blue Peter), where having been found capable, he was employed as carpenter's mate, and came to be

rter; they were, in general, men of hardihood and courage, encountering as a mere matter of course such perilous weather as the fishers on a great part of our coasts would have declined to meet, and during the fishing season were diligent in their calling, and made a good

hese were less dangerous than those of their husbands, they were quite as laborious, and less interesting. The most severe consisted in carrying the fish into the country for sale, in a huge creel or basket, which when full was sometimes more than a man could lift to place on the woman's back. With this burden, kept in its pla

complexion, and the prettiest teeth possible; the former two at least of which advantages she must have lost long before, had it not been that, while her husband's prudence had rendered hard work less imperative, he had a singular care over her good looks; and that a rough, honest, elder sister of his lived with them, whom it would have been no kindness to keep from the hardest work, seeing it was only through such that she could have found a sufficienc

rom the ground floor, which consisted only of a kitchen and a closet. Little Phemy Mair was therefore familiar with his appearance, his ways, and his s

so long closed to its entrance. With a moan of dismay he once more pressed his palms against them, and thus deafened, shouted with a voice of agony into the noise of the rising tide: "I dinna ken wha

ork, she escaped unperceived, and so ran along the base of the promontory, where the rough way was perhaps easier to the feet of a child content to take smaller steps a

ess courage because they have no distrust, and she ran straight

leaning over a little to one side, which opening rose to the full height of the cave, and seemed to lay bare every corner of it to a single glance. In length it was only about four or five times

ssed through another opening, and by a longer and more gently sloping descent reached the floor of a second cave, as level and nearly as smooth as a table. On her left hand, what light managed to creep through the tortuous entrance was caught and reflected in a dull glimmer from the un

emy's approach, and she stood for a while staring at him in the vag

had already got so far accustomed as to make the most of the scanty light. Presently she fancied she saw something glitter, away in the darkness-two things: they must be eyes!-the

laird

his eyes once and again. She stood between the well and the entr

e come frae

he auld boat,

ye want

disturbit ye, sir, but I saw the twa een o' a wullcat, or sic like, g

mad laird in a soothing voice; "the wullcat s

"What for sud I be fleyt

f satisfaction, for he had not hitherto recognised her

eated herself on th

n his hands. Nothing entered them, however, but the sound of the rising tide, for Phemy

s, her head sank upon his shoulder, his arm went round her to hold her safe, and thus she fell fast asleep. After a while, the laird gently roused her and took her home, on their way warning her,