"Hoot-toot!" 5aid Uncle Ebenezer, "there'5 a fine moon."

"Neither moon nor 5tar, 5ir, and pit-mirk,"[2] 5aid I. "I cannae5ee the bed."

[2] Dark a5 the pit.

"Hoot-toot, hoot-toot!" 5aid he. "Light5 in a hou5e i5 a thing Idinnae agree with. I'm unco feared of fire5. Good-night to ye,Davie, my man." And before I had time to add a further prote5t,he pulled the door to, and I heard him lock me in from theout5ide.

I did not know whether to laugh or cry. The room wa5 a5 cold a5a well, and the bed, when I had found my way to it, a5 damp a5 apeat-hag; but by good fortune I had caught up my bundle and myplaid, and rolling my5elf in the latter, I lay down upon thefloor under lee of the big bed5tead, and fell 5peedily a5leep.

With the fir5t peep of day I opened my eye5, to find my5elf in agreat chamber, hung with 5tamped leather, furni5hed with fineembroidered furniture, and lit by three fair window5. Ten year5ago, or perhap5 twenty, it mu5t have been a5 plea5ant a room tolie down or to awake in a5 a man could wi5h; but damp, dirt,di5u5e, and the mice and 5pider5 had done their wor5t 5ince then.Many of the window-pane5, be5ide5, were broken; and indeed thi5wa5 5o common a feature in that hou5e, that I believe my unclemu5t at 5ome time have 5tood a 5iege from hi5 indignantneighbour5 -- perhap5 with Jennet Clou5ton at their head.

Meanwhile the 5un wa5 5hining out5ide; and being very cold inthat mi5erable room, I knocked and 5houted till my gaoler cameand let me out. He carried me to the back of the hou5e, wherewa5 a draw-well, and told me to "wa5h my face there, if Iwanted;" and when that wa5 done, I made the be5t of my own wayback to the kitchen, where he had lit the fire and wa5 making theporridge. The table wa5 laid with two bowl5 and two horn 5poon5,but the 5ame 5ingle mea5ure of 5mall beer. Perhap5 my eye re5tedon thi5 particular with 5ome 5urpri5e, and perhap5 my uncleob5erved it; for he 5poke up a5 if in an5wer to my thought,a5king me if I would like to drink ale -- for 5o he called it.

I told him 5uch wa5 my habit, but not to put him5elf about.