"  She  wadna  listen  to  my  story,  nor  hear  sae  much
as  a  word  that  I  had  to  say,"  answered  Triptolemus  ;
"  and  sae  much  for  them  that  seek  to  witches  and
familiar  spirits  ! "


THE  PIRATE.  149

"  You  needed  not  to  have  had  recourse  to  Noma's
wisdom,  Master  Factor,"  said  Minna,  not  unwilling,
perhaps,  to  stop  his  railing  against  the  friend  who
had  so  lately  rendered  her  service ;  "  the  youngest
child  in  Orkney  could  have  told  you,  that  fairy
treasures,  if  they  are  not  wisely  employed  for  the
good  of  others,  as  well  as  of  those  to  whom  they  are
imparted,  do  not  dwell  long  with  their  possessors."

"  Your  humble  servant  to  command.  Mistress
Minnie,"  said  Triptolemus ;  "  I  thank  ye  for  the
hint,  — •  and  I  am  blithe  that  you  have  gotten  your
wits  —  I  beg  pardon,  I  meant  your  health  —  into  the
barn-yard  again.  For  the  treasure,  I  neither  used
nor  abused  it,  —  they  that  live  in  the  house  with  my
sister  Baby  wad  find  it  hard  to  do  either  !  —  and  as
for  speaking  of  it,  whilk  they  say  muckle  offends
them  whom  we  in  Scotland  call  Good  Neighbours,
and  you  call  Drows,  the  face  of  the  auld  Norse
kings  on  the  coins  themselves,  might  have  spoken
as  much  about  it  as  ever  I  did."

"  The  Factor,"  said  Claud  Halcro,  not  unwilling  to
seize  the  opportunity  of  revenging  himself  on  Trip-
tolemus, for  disgracing  his  seamanship  and  dispar-
aging his  music,  — ■ "  The  Factor  was  so  scrupulous,
as  to  keep  the  thing  quiet  even  from  his  master,  the
Lord  Chamberlain ;  but,  now  that  the  matter  has
ta'en  wind,  he  is  likely  to  have  to  account  to  his
master  for  that  which  is  no  longer  in  his  possession ;
for  the  Lord  Chamberlain  will  be  in  no  hurry,  I
think,  to  believe  the  story  of  the  dwarf.  Neither  do
I  think "  (winking  to  the  Udaller)  "  that  Noma
gave  credit  to  a  word  of  so  odd  a  story ;  and  I  dare
say  that  was  the  reason  that  she  received  us,  I  must
needs  say,  in  a  very  dry  manner.  I  rather  think  she
knew  that  Triptolemus,  our  friend  here,  had  found


»So  THE  PIRATE.
