soon got upon firmer ground; yet the fierce onset of the tide rendered their situation eminently peril

ous.

Lord Thomas, though an excellent horseman, and, with courage of heart and presence of mind equal to any casualty, was, in one material matter, less fortunately circumstanced than his companion. His horse, a fleet, and young, and lively animal, was unacquainted with such perils as now impended; and, dismayed at the sound of the rushing tide, and smarting in mouth and nostrils with the salt brine, plunged and startled, and refused to face the foaming tide-bar which every other minute came sweeping from side to side of the wide river. It required all his skill to keep his seat, and preserve himself and his horse from being swept away. The Cameronian, on the other hand, had a horse which counted the water but as a field of

rye-grass and clover;-disciplined and taught to obey, and treated with a tenderness which falls to the lot of few animals, it had learned to execute its master's wishes without advice from either whip or spur, and people scrupled not to say, that Archbishop Sharpe (for so the steed was called) possessed some of the cunning of its celebrated namesake.

The mourners, with the body, had now reached Caerlaverock bank-the horses shook the water from their flanks, and the riders, turning round and blessing themselves on their narrow escape, lamented their inability to aid their companions

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for whom there appeared no chance of life. dead," said one, cannot wait the follies of the living-let us go bury the body"-" And the living," said another, "will soon be with the dead, else I tine all trust in deep waters." "We," added a third, "have waited longer than it is sonsie already, for to those who linger with a corse there comes early sorrow." This was decisive-the mourners proceeded towards the burial ground.

22

CHAPTER IX.

"Love flows like the Solway, but ebbs like its tide."

SIR WALTER SCOTT.

MEANWHILE the whole sea of Solway, from shore to shore, was moving in life and beauty. Against the going and returning sails of many ships the sun threw its splendour, and made ten thousand moving mirrors amid the swelling and dimpling waters-the sea-fowl sailed or flew skimming along the foam in flocks-while, following the salmon, which sought the pools where the groves of Dalswinton, Friar's Carse, Blackwood, Closeburn, and Drumlanrig are shadowed, the porpoises appeared, raising their coal-black heads and glimmering eyes above the mass of waters. The moist and sandy space between the stream and the greensward was rapidly diminishing-the tide, in its march, filled up many chasms and creeks which were unsightly in its absence, and three or four stranded vessels, half sunk in the quicksand, were

now alone visible by the fragments of their masts and the whirl of the surrounding sea.

Within two ships' lengths of the shore, yet still struggling with the tide, Lord Dalveen had arrived with his Cameronian friend, when the horse of the former, waxing furious and altogether ungovernable, wheeled round, and plunged backwards into the deeper waters. "It is a demon that horse of thine, Lord Thomas," said Cargill, with his usual coolness; "or is possest with one at least, and will be thy destruction. Here”—and he moved his own horse beside him—" quit thy saddle, and come behind me ; the Archbishop can carry double, and will take us as safe to land as if thy twelveoared barge were under us." The young nobleman left his saddle, and, dripping from plume to spur, mounted behind the old man; while his horse, left to its own will, plunged about and waxed furious from the smarting of the salt water in its spurred sides and galled mouth.

The horse of the Cameronian swam slowly towards the shore with its increase of burden; while its owner said,-" The offer made in lightness, Lord Thomas, when danger was afar, may be made in seriousness now-what wild knoll wilt thou give our broken remnant to build a house of worship on? I have thought on it, my Lord, and we will act wisely in accepting it; for the youths of this age are grown corrupt and degeneratethey dress lightly and gaudily, and hang over their

heads, when mercy descends in the shape of rain, a green canopy, called an umbrella. Ah! they cannot endure a six-hours' sermon, with seven hours of rain, on the Wardlaw-hill, like their patient forefathers. We must build us a house of worship."

Lord Thomas was astonished at the composure of his companion. "I promise thee," he said, "the little green knoll, called Cameron-knowe, measuring two Scottish acres, for ever and ever. Alas! look at my poor horse-he has borne me often to scenes of folly-he will do so no more." "And so his moan is made,” said Cargill,-" that friend is naught who forsakes us in danger. I tell thee, thou art well off his back-he meant to do thee an ill turn-the creature is possest. Andpatience, patience, my good steed,-thou art indeed wearied. This horse will barely bear us to land, Lord Thomas, though it is within a pennie-stone throw." Lord Thomas in a moment quitted his seat," I cannot, will not, cumber thee to thine own destruction." The Cameronian grasped him by the collar, saying, " Nay, nay, stay with mewe shall gain green land assuredly. See now how the boats come starting over the water to our aid— praise be blest! my horse's feet are on solid ground again.-Look, Lord Thomas, yon is your own barge; it comes like a winged thing-nay, it will be on us before we gain the bank ;-and see too at that little cockle-shell of a boat, how it comes scudding with