THE old woman-servant was the first person who came to my bedside in the morning, and from her I learned, that I was in the house of Mr Meikle, the minister of Kynnemond; who, being roused by the tumult in his village, had gone out into his garden, and saw me sink in the river, which ran close beneath its hedge. The good man had not only watched my recovery, but saved my life.

Perceiving how much I was recruited, the ancient handmaiden did not resist my proposals about rising immediately, but fetched me clean linen of her master’s; and I was soon up and dressed. I found myself a ghastly figure, to be sure; but I felt the vis renovatrix fairly at work within, and was anxious, as well I might be, to express my sense of the kindness I had met with, and also to trespass as little farther as might be possible upon the hospitality of this benevolent stranger.

Before leaving my room, however, I made another discovery—a woeful discovery it was. In short, John, my pocket-book—the pocket-book that contained the bank-note—was amissing! My purse with the five guineas was safe on the dressing-table; but I rummaged bed and bed-clothes, and coat, waistcoat, and breeches, all in vain for my poor pocket-book. I remembered with despair that it had been in my coat-pocket; while, upon the true principle of penny wisdom, the purse with the coin had occupied one within the breast of my waistcoat. Some chance, however, there might yet be: my kind host might have discovered my treasure, and thought proper to secure it for me until I was able to get up. I rung my bell, therefore, in a tremour of anxiety; and, behold, the good old man himself came into the room, leading in his hand a beautiful little boy, of perhaps three years old.

“Ah!” said he, “and so you’re fairly on your legs again:—and here's my little Tommy—he would not be contented unless I brought him with me to see ‘the drowned man;’ for that's Tommy's word for you, my dear sir; and, indeed, there's none of us can pretend to have the right one—”

“Oh! sir,” said I, “before I answer anything, let me know at once if you have my pocket-book.”