The Waverley novels, by Sir Walter Scott, complete in 12 vol., printed from the latest English ed., embracing the author's last corrections, prefaces & notes.

304 WAVERLEY NOVELS.
which she had threatened him. It was indeed a heart-breaking sight. The
habitation which he had left in its seclusion, beside the mountain-stream,
surrounded with every evidence of rustic plenty, was now a wasted and
blackened ruin. From amongst the shattered and sable walls the smoke
continued to rise. The turf-stack, the barn-yard, the offices stocked with
cattle, all the wealth of an upland cultivator of the period, of which poor
Elliot possessed no common share, had been laid waste or carried off in a
single night. IHe stood a moment motionless, and then exclaimed, "I am
ruined-ruined to the ground!-But curse on the warld's gear-Had it not
been the week before the bridal-But I am nae babe, to sit down and greet
about it. JIf I can but find Grace, and my grandmother, and my sisters
weel, I can go to the wars in Flanders, as my gude-sire did, under the
Bellenden banner, wi' auld Buccleuch. At ony rate, I will keep up a heart,
or they will lose theirs a'thegither."
Manfully strode Hobbie down the hill, resolved to suppress his own
despair, and administer consolation which he did not feel. The neighbouring inhabitants of the dell, particularly those of his own name, had already
assembled. The younger part were in arms and clamorous for revenge,
although they knew not upon whom; the elder were taking measures for the
relief of the distressed family. Annaple's cottage, which was situated down
the brook, at some distance from the scene of mischief, had been hastily
adapted for the temporary accommodation of the old lady and her daughters,
with such articles as had been contributed by the neighbours, for very little
was saved from the wreck.
" Are we to stand here a' day, sirs," exclaimed one tall young man, " and
look at the burnt wa's of our kinsman's house? Every wreath of the reek
is a blast of shame upon us! Let us to horse, and take the chase. —Who
has the nearest blood-hound?"
"It's young Earnscliff," answered another; " and he's been on and away
wi' six horse lang syne, to see if he can track them."
"'Let us follow him then, and raise the country, and mak mair help as we
ride, and then have at the Cumberland reivers! Take, burn, and slay-they
that lie nearest us shall smart first."
"Whisht! haud your tongues, daft callants," said an old man, " ye dinna
ken what ye speak about. What! wad ye raise war atween twa pacificated
countries?"
"And what signifies deaving us wi' tales about our fathers," retorted the
young man, "if we're to sit and see our friends' houses burnt ower their
heads, and no put out hand to revenge them? Our fathers did not do that,
I trow!"
"I am no saying ony thing against revenging Hiobbie's wrang, puir
chield; but we maun take the law wi' us in thae days, Simon," answered
the more prudent elder.
"And besides," said another old man, "I dinna believe there's ane now
living that kens the lawful mode of following a fray across the Border. Tam
o' Whittram kend a' about it; but he died in the hard winter."
" Ay," said a third, "he was at the great gathering, when they chased as
far as Thirlwall; it was the year after thefight of Philiphaugh."
"Hout," exclaimed another of these discording counsellors, "there's nae
great skill needed; just put a lighted peat on the end of a spear, or hayfork,
or siclike, and blaw a horn, and cry the gathering-word, and then it's lawful
to follow gear into England, and recover it by the strong hand, or to take
gear frae some other Englishman, providing ye lift nae mair than's been
lifted frae you. That's the auld Border law, made at Dundrennan, in the
days of the Black Douglas. Deil ane need doubt it. It's as clear as
the sun."
"Coine away, then, lads," cried Simon, "get to your geldings, and we'll
take auld Cuddie the muckle tasker wi' us; he kens the value o' the stock