For some time he seemed to make,
little or no progress; but who would be discouraged with the end in
sight!
The stone at length moved, and in a minute he had it out. For the
last time he lighted his candle, and there was just enough of it
left to show him how the chain was fastened. With a pair of pincers
he detached it from the wall--and I may mention that his life after
he wore it at his watch.
And now he had the horse in his arms and would have borne it
straight to his father, in whose presence it must be searched, but
that, unwilling to carry it through the kitchen, he must first go
to the other end of the passage and open that way.
The laird was seated by the fire when Cosmo went through, and
returning with the horse, placed it on a chair beside him. They
looked it all over, wondering whether the old captain could have
made it himself, and Cosmo thought his father prolonged the inquiry
from a wish to still his son's impatience. But at length he said,
"Noo, Cosmo, i' the name o' God, the giver o' ilka guid an' perfec'
gift, see gien ye can win at the entrails o' the animal. It cannabe
fu' o' men like the Trojan horse, or they maun be enchantit sma',
like the deevils whan they war ower mony for the cooncil ha'; but
what's intil 't may carry a heap waur danger to you an' me nor ony
nummer o' airmit men!"
"Ye min' the rime, father?" asked Cosmo.
"No sae weel as the twenty-third psalm," replied the laird with a
smile.
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