“So we are, Isaac. Say away like a man, anything you can tell us we’ll be glad to hear; he’s not a good letter-writer, my brother Harry; we like to hear all we can. He got there safe and well?”
“I gave him a dael of advice the night before,” said Isaac, “young lads is aye wanting something--again’ asking a penny from t’auld maister. Mr. Harry makes a fool o’ me, leddies; he’s just one o’ the lads I canno’ resist. There’s naething I would not do for him. I flew in the face o’ my missis, and even o’ my ain convictions, which are mair than ony woman’s, to follow him to the ‘Red Lion’ the night afore. No, it’s not a place that I frequent, far from that, no man can be more strong again’ it, let alone the missis; but I risked a dael of disgrace to gang after him there, to say to him--Ye’ll no’ think the worse of me, nor the mistress will no’ think the worse of me, that I spoke my mind.”
“And is he with Uncle Henry now, or has he--gone on?”
“To say to him, ‘Hev patience,’ that was all I said, ‘Hev patience, and ye’ll get every penny.’ I hev a conviction he’ll get every penny. It’s a nice little bit of money, and the land’s no’ such ill land about Burnswark if he were to build a new house. The auld wan we’re in is gude for naething, but Burnswark would be no’ bad for a sma’ property if he were to build a new house; and he’s naething to do but to hev patience--and never to bother t’auld maister in his lifetime, that was what I said.”
“You were always a sensible person, Isaac; my uncle’s much obliged to you for taking such care of him. But I hope my brother Harry did not want it. Is he still at Wyburgh, or has he--gone on? Tell us, for you see my mother’s anxious. We have got no letter.”
“To my great satisfaction,” said Isaac, “he must have taken my advice, for he went on to Liverpool the same night.”
Joan nodded her head a great many times; her face was wreathed in smiles. She took her mother’s feeble hands--straining themselves together as usual--into hers, and beamed upon the messenger.
“That is just what I thought! just what I thought!” she said; “far the best thing he could do, and shows his sense, mother. I could have told you from the first! Just see, now, how you torment yourself for nothing at all. I’ll get his things packed and send them off this very night.”