OR, THE SETTLERS IN THE WOODS. BY JOHN GALT, Esq. -FAS., HON. LS, P., HON. NHS, M., &c. AUTHOR OF "THE ANNALS OF THE PARISH,” "I ran it through, even from my boyish days, IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL. II. NEW-YORK: PRINTED BY J. & J. HARPER, 82 CLIFF-STREET. HOLD BY COLLINS AND HANNAY, COLLINS AND CO., G. AND C. AND H. CARVILLE, 0. A. 1830. LAWRIE TODD; OR, THE SETTLERS. PART V. CHAPTER VIII. "To make the crown a pound." THE next day was a great day in Babelmandel: I rose with the crowing of the cock, and despatched my son Charles on horseback to Judiville, to request uncle Hoskins to come to me immediately. I roused Mrs. Hoskins, to prepare for us the best breakfast and dinner that the means of the village could afford. I directed the two girls to be decked in their fairest frocks, and all the house to be trimmed up and put in order; and I dressed myself in my best suit of black, which is the colour I always wear-it saves money, when relations happen to bequeath the misfortune of going into mourning. But, when all these orders were given, Charles off, and the preparations stirring, a cold thought came into my head: "What if all this story of the bankers be only an invention of Baillie Waft ?" It is not possible to describe what I then suffered; but, nevertheless, I resolved to go through the business as if all he had said was gospel; and accordingly, as soon as I had dressed myself, I walked leisurely towards the store to open it for the day, swinging the key of the door on the fore-finger of my right hand as I went along. I had not proceeded above two hundred yards, when I beheld John Waft coming from his own house towards the road: he |