“Did you ever meet a man of the name of Hoseason?” asked Mr. Rankeillor.

“I did so, sir, for my sins,” said I; “for it was by his means and the procurement of my uncle, that I was kidnapped within sight of this town, carried to sea, suffered shipwreck and a hundred other hardships, and stand before you to-day in this poor accoutrement.”

“You say you were shipwrecked,” said Rankeillor; “where was that?”

“Off the south end of the Isle of Mull,” said I.  “The name of the isle on which I was cast up is the Island Earraid.”

“Ah!” says he, smiling, “you are deeper than me in the geography.  But so far, I may tell you, this agrees pretty exactly with other informations that I hold.  But you say you were kidnapped; in what sense?”

“In the plain meaning of the word, sir,” said I.  “I was on my way to your house, when I was trepanned on board the brig, cruelly struck down, thrown below, and knew no more of anything till we were far at sea.  I was destined for the plantations; a fate that, in God’s providence, I have escaped.”

“The brig was lost on June the 27th,” says he, looking in his book, “and we are now at August the 24th.  Here is a considerable hiatus, Mr. Balfour, of near upon two months.  It has already caused a vast amount of trouble to your friends; and I own I shall not be very well contented until it is set right.”

“Indeed, sir,” said I, “these months are very easily filled up; but yet before I told my story, I would be glad to know that I was talking to a friend.”

“This is to argue in a circle,” said the lawyer.  “I cannot be convinced till I have heard you.  I cannot be your friend till I am properly informed.  If you were more trustful, it would better befit your time of life.  And you know, Mr. Balfour, we have a proverb in the country that evil-doers are aye evil-dreaders.”

“You are not to forget, sir,” said I, “that I have already suffered by my trustfulness; and was shipped off to be a slave by the very man that (if I rightly understand) is your employer?”

All this while I had been gaining ground with Mr. Rankeillor, and in proportion as I gained ground, gaining confidence.  But at this sally, which I made with something of a smile myself, he fairly laughed aloud.

“No, no,” said he, “it is not so bad as that.  Fui, non sum.  I was indeed your uncle’s man of business; but while you (imberbis juvenis custode remoto) were gallivanting in the west, a good deal of water has run under the bridges; and if your ears did not sing, it was not for lack of being talked about.  On the very day of your sea disaster, Mr. Campbell stalked into my office, demanding you from all the winds.  I had never heard of your existence; but I had known your father; and from matters in my competence (to be touched upon hereafter) I was disposed to fear the worst.  Mr. Ebenezer admitted having seen you; declared (what seemed improbable)