We left Mr Sudberry and his children in the nearly dry bed of a
mountain-torrent, indulging the belief that matters were as bad as could
be, and that, therefore, there was no possibility of their getting
worse.
A smart shower of rain speedily induced them to change their minds in
this respect. Seeking shelter under the projecting ledge of a great
cliff, the party stood for some time there in silence.
"You are cold, my pet," said Mr Sudberry.
"Just a little, papa; I could not help shuddering," said Lucy, faintly.
"Now for the brandy," said her father, drawing forth the flask.
"Suppose I try to kindle a fire," said George, swinging the bundle
containing Jacky off his shoulder, and placing it in a hollow of the
rocks.
"Well, suppose you try."
George proceeded to do so; but on collecting a few broken twigs he found
that they were soaking wet, and on searching for the match-box he
discovered that it had been left in the provision-basket, so they had to
content themselves with a sip of brandy all round--excepting Jacky.
That amiable child was still sound asleep; but in a few minutes he was
heard to utter an uneasy squall, and then George discovered that he had
deposited part of his rotund person in a puddle of water.
"Come, let us move on," said Mr Sudberry, "the rain gets heavier. It
is of no use putting off time, we cannot be much damper than we are."
Again the worthy man was mistaken; for, in the course of another hour,
they were all so thoroughly drenched, that their previous condition
might have been considered, by contrast, one of absolute dryness.
Suddenly, a stone wall, topped by a paling, barred their further
progress. Fred, who was in advance, did not see this wall--he only felt
it when it brought him up.
"Here's a gate, I believe," cried George, groping about. It _was_ a
gate, and it opened upon the road! For the first time for many hours a
gleam of hope burst in upon the benighted wanderers. Presently a ray of
light dazzled them.
"What! do my eyes deceive me--a cottage?" cried Mr Sudberry.
"Ay, and a witch inside," said George.
"Why, it's old--no, impossible!"
"Yes, it is, though--it's old Moggy's cottage."
"Hurrah!" cried Fred.
Old Moggy's dog came out with a burst of indignation that threatened
annihilation to the whole party; but, on discovering who they were, it
crept humbly back into the cottage.
"Does she never go to bed?" whispered George, as they approached and
found the old woman moping over her fire, and swaying her body to and
fro, with the thin dirty gown clinging close to her figure, and the
spotlessly clean plaid drawn tightly round her shoulders.
"Good-evening, old woman," said Mr Sudberry, advancing with a
conciliatory air.
"It's mornin'," retorted the old woman with a scowl.
"Alas! you are right; here have we been lost on the hills, and wandering
all night; and glad am I to find your fire burning, for my poor daughter
is very cold and much exhausted. May we sit down beside you?"
No reply, save a furtive scowl.
"What's that?" asked Moggy, sharply, as George deposited his dirty wet
bundle on the floor beside the fire opposite to her.
The bundle answered for itself; by slowly unrolling, sitting up and
yawning violently, at the same time raising both arms above its head and
stretching itself. Having done this, it stared round the room with a
vacant look, and finally fixed its goggle eyes in mute surprise on
Moggy.
The sight of this wet, dirty little creature acted, as formerly, like a
charm on the old woman. Her face relaxed into a smile of deep
tenderness. She immediately rose, and taking the child in her arms
carried him to her stool, and sat down with him in her lap. Jacky made
no resistance; on the contrary, he seemed to have made up his mind to
submit at once, and with a good grace, to the will of this strange old
creature--to the amazement as well as amusement of his relations.
The old woman took no further notice of her other visitors. She
incontinently became stone deaf; and apparently blind, for she did not
deign to bestow so much as a glance on them, while they circled close
round her fire, and heaped on fresh sticks without asking leave. But
she made up for this want of courtesy by bestowing the most devoted
attentions on Jacky. Finding that that young gentleman was in a filthy
as well as a moist condition, she quietly undressed him, and going to a
rough chest in a corner of the hut drew out a full suit of clothing,
with which she speedily invested him. The garb was peculiar--a tartan
jacket, kilt, and hose; and these seemed to have been made expressly for
him, they fitted so well. Although quite clean, thin, threadbare, and
darned, the appearance of the garments showed that they had been
much-worn. Having thus clothed Jacky, the old woman embraced him
tenderly, then held him at arm's-length and gazed at him for a few
minutes. Finally, she pushed him gently away and burst into tears--
rocking herself to and fro, and moaning dismally.
Meanwhile Jacky, still perfectly mute and observant, sat down on a log
beside the poor old dame, and stared at her until the violence of her
grief began to subside. The other members of the party stared too--at
her and at each other--as if to say, "What _can_ all this mean?"
At last Jacky began to manifest signs of impatience, and, pulling her
sleeve, he said--
"Now, g'anny, lollipops!"
Old Moggy smiled, rose, went to the chest again, and returned with a
handful of sweetmeats, with which Jacky at once proceeded to regale
himself, to the infinite joy of the old woman.
Mr Sudberry now came to the conclusion that there must be a secret
understanding between this remarkable couple; and he was right. Many a
time during the last two weeks had Master Jacky, all unknown to his
parents, made his way to old Moggy's hut--attracted thereto by the
splendid "lollipops" with which the subtle old creature beguiled him,
and also by the extraordinary amount of affection she lavished upon him.
Besides this, the child had a strong dash of romance in his nature, and
it was a matter of deep interest to him to be a courted guest in such a
strange old hovel, and to be fondled and clothed, as he often was, in
Highland costume, by one who scowled upon everyone else--excepting her
little dog, with which animal he became an intimate friend. Jacky did
not trouble himself to inquire into the reason of the old woman's
partiality--sufficient for him that he enjoyed her hospitality and her
favour, and that he was engaged in what he had a vague idea must needs
be a piece of clandestine and very terrible wickedness. His long
absences, during these visits, had indeed been noticed by his mother;
but as Jacky was in the habit of following his own inclinations in every
thing and at all times, without deigning to give an account of himself;
it was generally understood that he had just strayed a little farther
than usual while playing about.
While this was going on in Moggy's hut, George had been despatched to
inform Mrs Sudberry of their safety. The distance being short, he soon
ran over the ground, and burst in upon his mother with a cheer. Mrs
Sudberry sprang into his arms, and burst into tears; Mrs Brown lay down
on the sofa, and went into quiet hysterics; and little Tilly, who had
gone to bed hours before in a condition of irresistible drowsiness,
jumped up with a scream, and came skipping down-stairs in her
night-gown.
"Safe, mother, safe!"
"And Jacky?"
"Safe, too, all of us."
"Oh! I'm _so_ thankful."
"No, not _all_ of us," said George, suddenly recollecting Peter.