“Plague on thee!” said Bucklaw, interrupting him, “and on me for listening to you!  You would say as much if I were hunch-backed.  But as to Ravenswood—­he has kept no terms with me, I’ll keep none with him; if I can win this girl from him, I will win her.”

“Win her! ’sblood, you shall win her, point, quint, and quatorze, my king of trumps; you shall pique, repique, and capot him.”

“Prithee, stop thy gambling cant for one instant,” said Bucklaw.  “Things have come thus far, that I have entertained the proposal of my kinswoman, agreed to the terms of jointure, amount of fortune, and so forth, and that the affair is to go forward when Lady Ashton comes down, for she takes her daughter and her son in her own hand.  Now they want me to send up a confidential person with some writings.”

“By this good win, I’ll ride to the end of the world—­the very gates of Jericho, and the judgment-seat of Prester John, for thee!” ejaculated the Captain.

“Why, I believe you would do something for me, and a great deal for yourself.  Now, any one could carry the writings; but you will have a little more to do.  You must contrive to drop out before my Lady Ashton, just as if it were a matter of little consequence, the residence of Ravenswood at her husband’s house, and his close intercourse with Miss Ashton; and you may tell her that all the country talks of a visit from the Marquis of A——­, as it is supposed, to make up the match betwixt Ravenswood and her daughter.  I should like to hear what she says to all this; for, rat me! if I have any idea of starting for the plate at all if Ravenswood is to win the race, and he has odds against me already.”

“Never a bit; the wench has too much sense, and in that belief I drink her health a third time; and, were time and place fitting, I would drink it on bended knees, and he that would not pledge me, I would make his guts garter his stockings.”

“Hark ye, Craigengelt; as you are going into the society of women of rank,” said Bucklaw, “I’ll thank you to forget your strange blackguard oaths and ‘damme’s.’  I’ll write to them, though, that you are a blunt, untaught fellow.”

“Ay, ay,” replied Craigengelt—­“a plain, blunt, honest, downright soldier.”

“Not too honest, not too much of the soldier neither; but such as thou art, it is my luck to need thee, for I must have spurs put to Lady Ashton’s motions.”  “I’ll dash them up to the rowel-heads,” said Craigengelt; “she shall come here at the gallop, like a cow chased by a whole nest of hornets, and her tail over her rump like a corkscrew.”

“And hear ye, Craigie,” said Bucklaw; “your boots and doublet are good enough to drink in, as the man says in the play, but they are somewhat too greasy for tea-table service; prithee, get thyself a little better rigged out, and here is to pay all charges.”

“Nay, Bucklaw; on my soul, man, you use me ill.  However,” added Craigengelt, pocketing the money, “if you will have me so far indebted to you, I must be conforming.”