'Hoot, mem! it was but a slip o' the tongue--naething mair.'

'Slip me nae sic slips, or ye'll come by a fa' at last, I doobt,
Betty,' concluded Mrs. Falconer, in a mollified tone, as she turned
and led the way from the room.

They got a candle in the kitchen and proceeded up-stairs, Mrs.
Falconer still leading, and Betty following. They did not even look
into the ga'le-room, not doubting that the dignity of the best
bed-room was in no danger of being violated even by Robert, but took
their way upwards to the room in which he kept his
school-books--almost the only articles of property which the boy
possessed. Here they found nothing suspicious. All was even in the
best possible order--not a very wonderful fact, seeing a few books
and a slate were the only things there besides the papers on the
shelves.

What the feelings of Shargar must have been when he heard the steps
and voices, and saw the light approaching his place of refuge, we
will not change our point of view to inquire. He certainly was as
little to be envied at that moment as at any moment during the whole
of his existence.

The first sense Mrs. Falconer made use of in the search after
possible animals lay in her nose. She kept snuffing constantly,
but, beyond the usual musty smell of neglected apartments, had as
yet discovered nothing. The moment she entered the upper garret,
however--

'There's an ill-faured smell here, Betty,' she said, believing that