at the first peep of dawn, and after secret prayer, family prayer followed. This ended, breakfast was set on the table, consisting, as in it did then in all the rural parts of Scotland, of rich oatmeal brose, in which was hidden a lump of fragrant butter. A good appetite converted this simple meal into a feast.

Breakfast over, Gilbert said: 'I suppose you'll all be inclined to keep the Sabbath as it should be kept. I've been in the habit of collecting my little family around me, and of imitating as near as may be the order of the services at the Kirk. I don't preach; but if I had the gift, I don't see what should hinder me from speaking to my neighbours of a Saviour; but I read a sermon from a godly book here on the shelf. Now I've been thinking as there are five men of us here, one of us should begin with praise, the next read a chapter and pray, the third read the sermon, the fourth pray, and the last conclude with a psalm. This, I think, would be a profitable way of spending the forenoon. We can either repeat the same in the afternoon, or spend it in religious conversation, as may be found suitable.'

Gilbert's proposal was cordially agreed to, and the Sabbath was spent accordingly.

The conversation in the evening was the most lively and impressive part of the day's exercise. Every one appeared to be deeply affected with the various topics which came incidentally before them. The tears were frequently seen to start into the eyes of Sandy the herdboy. A new vision was opening to his youthful mind, and the great matters of salvation assumed an importance that he had never seen before. Thus, as the elders were exposed to the fierce blasts of persecution which swept them off the earth, a young generation came up to fill the vacant ranks.

Not a few Sabbaths were spent in Gilbert's house, but all felt afterward that none were to be compared with this. A spiritual joy pervaded

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| every heart, and all felt more than they choose to express. There was communion with saints, and communion with God. What more was needed?

Noo, Gibby,' said Grizzy, with a heart full of heavenly exultation; Ye thocht our little company wad be perfect, if we had only a minister amang us, and ye looked out of the window as wistfully as if ye expected that auld Saunders would come stottin' o'er the muirs as he used to do in the fine days o' simmer; but hae we not been as weel entertained, seeing the great Master of assemblies has been wi' us Himsel'?'

The storm raged on even wilder than before. The men after they had thrashed Gilbert's oats, and piled up a vast mountain of straw wherewith to thatch the house when opportunity served, asked for other employment within doors.

Grizzy assured the visitors that work could be found for them all. 'There's plenty o' yarn hangin frae the baulks; if ony o' ye can work a stockin', ye may get that to do.' Here was work at once for the two shepherds. The men from Cairsphairn were one a tailor and the other a shoemaker. Now Gilbert was a thrifty as well as a God-fearing soul. He had two webs of home-made cloth ready for the flying tailor from the head of Douglas Water, and plenty of leather and other materials for making shoes whenever the jaunting cobbler from Muirkirk should come on his rounds. Here was work for the other men.

Many days were spent round the pile of peats blazing on the hearth, every one at his own proper occupation, the shepherds at their stockings, the tailor and the shoemaker plying the awl and the needle, the gude wife spinning in the corner, the boy teazing the wool, and Gilbert stretching at his length on the 'lang settle' behind the hallen, bearing his rheumatic pains as best he could.

One cold and inclement day as they were all thus seated, the con.

versation turned on preaching.

Were ye at Hyndbottom,' said Gilbert, ony o' ye, that day that Cameron preached so shortly before his death, fra the text, Ye will not come unto me that ye might have life? 'We were there,' replied the shepherds from Lesmahagow; and a great crowd there was from all the surrounding parishes.'

'I remember,' said Gilbert, 'how urgently he pressed the acceptance of Christ that day upon his hearers. "We offer him," he cried, "unto you in the parish of Auchenleck, Douglas, Crawfordjohn, and all ye that live hereabout. And what say ye? Will ye take Him? Tell us what ye say, for we take instruments before these hills and mountains around us that we have offered Him to you this day.""

Ay, Gibby,' said Grizzy, and I mind how he cried and pointed wi' his hand, "Look over to the Showhead and these hills, and take a look at them; for they are witnesses now. And when ye are dying, they shall come before your face. We take everyone of you witness against the other: and will not that aggravate your sorrow when they come into your mind and conscience, saying, We heard you invited and obtested to come to Christ, and ye would not. Now are we witnesses against you.' It was then, I remember, that the whole congregation began to weep and when he observed it, he cried out, "I see some tenderness among you, and that is favourable to look upon. And yet that is not all. The angels will go up to report before the throne what everyone's choice has been this day, and thus shall they say-There were some in the parishes of Auchenleck, Douglas, and Crawfordjohn, that have received the Lord Jesus, and He has become their Lord;' and this will be welcome news.' These were his very words.'

:

'O but it was an unco' day!' said Gilbert. I thought I was at the very gates of heaven itself when sitting on the wild muir in Hynd

'Ay,' said Grizzy, 'the strong man bowed himsel', for his great heart was pained, and full of yearning for souls. I remember a puir young lassie sittin beside me on the bent, and her bit napkin, which she held to her een, was a' drenched through and through wi' greeting. It was naething to see the women greet; but it was extraordinar' to see strong men, and auld men, a' meltit into tears, and standin' wi' faces, as if they had been washed wi' a shower.'

'I was sitting close beside my father,' said John of Lesmahagow, and he shook as if he had had the ague. And on his right there was a tall, swarthy man, with a firm and stubborn aspect, who seemed for a while to resist the general emotion; but by degrees even his countenance relaxed, and the tears streamed down his cheeks. He had his bonnet in his hand, with which he sometimes wiped his eyes, and sometimes he dashed the tears away with the big sleeve of his coat, and then with his rough bare hand.'

'Yes,' said Gilbert, 'the very rocks seemed to melt, and the heart of stone was softened. They talk of the Kirk o' Shotts; but I question if the Kirk o' Shotts can be compared to Hyndbottom. The fruits o' Hynd bottom didna soon vanish. The martyrdom of the minister so quickly after served as a standing application of the sermon, and enforces its truth till the present hour.'

'We never had the opportunity of hearing Cameron,' said one of the men from Cairsphairn; 'but we have had many a meeting in our wilds kept by men who have doubtless visited your uplands.'

'Ay,' said Grizzy, good Mr. Peden tells us that there are nae Christians like the Christians o' Cairsphairn, and nane that hae mair

THE storm at length abated, and the weather became clear, calm, and frosty. Every cottage and farmsteading in the uplands was now like Jericho, straightly shut up; none went out, and none came in. The snow was piled as high as the top of the houses, and at the Miny as well as the rest. It was indeed drifted up and around in such a way that no person at a little distance could have guessed that there was a cottage and farm-buildings near, except from the sturdy column of smoke which seemed to issue from the interior of a hillock of solid snow. The two shepherds conceived the design of clearing a wide space along the entire length of the front of the building, that ample room might be made for entering the outhouses where the sheep and cattle were confined.

The four men soon cleared the space. Other advantages were gained by this work. The fine well at the bottom of the knoll at the end of the buildings could now be reached, and there was no further need to melt the snow in pots and kettles over the fire to obtain water for cooking and for the cattle. Fuel could more readily be obtained. A good walk was secured between the Miny and the Auchty, which was frequently used for exercise.

The visitors now thought they would re-thatch the roof. It was agreed to clear a space on the side towards the cowhouse first, and there make the experiment. The farmsteading of the Miny consisted of a row of low buildings, the dwelling house occupying the centre, the byre and the stable stretching to the west, and to the east the barn and outhouse in which the sheep were sheltered. The men had just finished what they had marked out for clearing as the night drew on, and were about to descend, when Sandy exclaimed,

Maister, maister, here's auld Eddie.'

'Auld Eddie wha?' said Gilbert.

'Auld Eddie Cringan and his cuddie, standing on the top of the snaw wreath at the end o' the house.' 'The callans' gaen gyte. It's a vision-a vision.'

May be; but Eddie's there, at ony rate,' said the herdboy; ' and he's crying to help him down.'

'Eddie, is that you?' shouted honest Gilbert.

Indeed it is, Gibby; it's a' that ye'll get for auld Eddie.'

'O dear, man, that's miraculous. It's like walking on the water without sinkin'.'

'But ye could walk on the water if it was frozen, Gibby; could na ye? Now the snaw is frozen as hard as a board, so that a gude skater could flighter his way frae Glenbuck to this in an hour.'

'Where hae ye come frae, Eddie?' exclaimed Grizzy, in great astonishment, as she looked up at his dangerous height.

'Where? frae the head o' Douglas Water, and I hae come here just wi' the article ye ken. But come and help me down, and I will tell ye a' about it.'

The four strangers were both astonished and amused at Eddie, a personage of whom they had never heard, and their spades were quickly at work making a way for his descent.

Eddie Cringan was a noted character in that district and a warm friend to the Covenanters, though he never took a decided part with them. He was regarded as privileged person and went under the familiar name of Eddie the Keelman, or Keel Eddie. He traversed the moors with his donkey, having a creel attached to each side of the animal, while he sat on the seat between. His cuddie was a strong creature, and well fitted for the moorlands; and wherever Eddie went, both he and his companion were treated kindly. His journeys were short, and in general he was in no hurry in shifting his quarters. His company was always entertain

ing. He gathered abundance of news on his journeys, and nothing pleased him better than to sit by the blazing hearth while he retailed it to others. He was known to be honest, and well able to keep a secret. Eddie carried keel for the shepherds in the uplands and gathered eggs from the farmers' wives, in both which things he drove a considerable

trade. But there were two other articles he always carried in the bottom of his creels carefully covered over by the keel and the eggs. Of these two none knew but his Covenanting friends. They were-powder and shot. Selfpreservation obliged the hunted people to keep arms, and there was no way of getting ammunition except through such men as Eddie. His visits were, therefore, always welcome to the Covenanters. While thus secretly leaning to them, he could rally with the dragoons, and make himself amusing to their officers. Eddie often passed the soldiers in their raids, but always without suspicion.

The thought flashed across the minds of all the inmates of the Miny, as Eddie sat by the fire with a bicker of rich, steaming brose resting on his knees, and his enormous ram-horn spoon in his mouth-that if Eddie could come thus easily over the snow, the troopers might shortly be expected from Muirkirk. Their anxiety was increased as Eddie thus broke the silence :

'I never travelled these moors so lightly along as I have done this day, and the animal, even in the softest parts, never sank above the hoof. I came round by the edge of Cairntable, and called at no house till I reached this. I saw the face of no living creature, and I am sure none saw me.'

'Think ye, Eddie,' said Gilbert, expressing the fears of all the inmates, that there is no likelihood of the troopers coming out fra Muirkirk, if the snaw keeps hard?' 'Na, na,' he replied, there is nae fear o' that. The cuddie and

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me came lightly o'er the snaw, but their heavy horses would sink to the belly at the very first step. They are fond enough o' mischief; but they hae little notion o' sinking themselves, man and horse, in a bottomless snaw wreath. Na, na; they are no the chaps for that; and so ye need na fear a visit frae them; tak my word for 't.'

All breathed freer when Eddie had delivered this opinion.

Weel, a weel, Eddie,' said Grizzy, 'I'm just glad to see ye. I was thinkin about ye the other day, and said to mysel'. "We'll no see Eddie the year, nor hear what is doing ayont the muirs." But ye are here after a', and ye are welcome to our biggin.'

'Thank ye, gude wife. I kent I was welcome, else I wadna hae been here; and if I can help ye in onything, I'll be glad.'

The next day a fire broke out in the stable, and but for the help which Gilbert got from his increasing number of guests, the cattle, the provisions, and the cottage would all have been consumed. The horses and cows were taken to the vault, the roof covered with cabers, as Gilbert called the spars of wood; and in a week the damage was thoroughly repaired.

After these labours were ended, they were again seated by the fire, when Eddie awakened fresh fears by the following narrative:

'As I was coming along by the head o' Douglas Water on the day that the snaw began to fa', I met a company o' troopers. I kent the captain weel, and he began to rally me on my puir equipage, compared wi' his gallant war-steed. "Weel, a-weel," says I, "yer honour, if your horses be brawly harnessed, ye're no o'er weel clad yoursels. There's a batch o' chaps that's come enow to Douglas that dings ye out right. They are a' clad brent new frae tap to tae, in bonny bright red; but your cloaks are turned sae blue in the hue that they need a bit o' my keel to bring back the colour." "Never mind, Eddie," said he;