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were creeping along like snails； with both sails set。
The news was in Edinburgh long before they landed。 They had been
discerned under Inch Keith at the dawn。
And the manner of their creeping along； when there was such a breeze；
told the tale at once to the keen； experienced eyes that are sure to be
scanning the sea。
Donkey…carts came rattling down from the capital。
Merchants came pelting down to Newhaven pier。
The whole story began to be put together by bits； and comprehended。 Old
Johnstone's cleverness was recalled to mind。
The few fishermen left at Newhaven were ready to kill themselves。
Their wives were ready to do the same good office for La Johnstone。
Four Irish merchants agreed to work together； and to make a show of
competition； the better to keep the price down within bounds。
It was hardly fair； four men against one innocent unguarded female。
But this is a wicked world。
Christie landed； and proceeded to her own house； on the way she was met
by Jean Carnie； who debarrassed her of certain wrappers； and a
handkerchief she had tied round her head； and informed her she was the
pride of Newhaven。
She next met these four little merchants； one after another。
And since we ought to dwell as little as possible upon scenes in which
unguarded innocence is exposed to artful conspiracies； we will put a page
or two into the brute form of dramatic dialogue； and so sail through it
quicker。
_1st Merchant。_ 〃Where are ye going； Meggie？〃
_Christie Johnstone。_ 〃If onybody asks ye； say ye dinna ken。〃
_1st Mer。_ 〃Will ye sell your fish？〃
_Christie。_ 〃Suner than gie them。〃
_1st Mer。_ 〃You will be asking fifteen shillin' the cran。〃
_Christie。_ 〃And ten to that。〃
_1st Mer。_ 〃Good…morning。〃
_2d Mer。_ 〃Would he not go over fifteen shillings？ Oh； the thief o' the
world！ I'll give sixteen。〃
_3d Mer。_ 〃But I'll give eighteen。〃
_2d Mer。_ 〃More fool you！ Take him up； my girl。〃
_Christie。_ 〃Twenty…five is my price the day。〃
_3d Mer。_ 〃You will keep them till Sunday week and sell their bones。〃
_＇Exeunt the three Merchants。 Enter 4th Merchant。_
_4th Mer。_ 〃Are your fish sold？ I'll give sixteen shillings。〃
_Christie。_ 〃I'm seeking twenty…five； an' I'm offered eighteen。
_4th Mer。_ 〃Take it。〃 _＇Exit。_
_Christie。_ 〃They hae putten their heads thegither。〃
Here Flucker came up to her； and told her there was a Leith merchant
looking for her。 〃And； Custy；〃 said he； 〃there's plenty wind getting up；
your fish will be sair hashed； put them off your hands； I rede ye。〃
_Christie。_ 〃Ay； lad！ Flucker； hide； an' when I play my hand sae； ye'll
run in an cry； 'Cirsty； the Irishman will gie ye twenty…two schellin the
cran。'〃
_Flucker。_ 〃Ye ken mair than's in the catecheesm； for as releegious as ye
are。〃
The Leith merchant was Mr。 Miller； and this is the way he worked。
_Miller （in a mellifluous voice）。_ 〃Are ye no fatigued； my deear？〃
_Christie （affecting fatigue）。_ 〃Indeed； sir； and I am。〃
_Miller。_ 〃Shall I have the pleasure to deal wi' ye？〃
_Christie。_ 〃If it's your pleasure； sir。 I'm seekin' twenty…five
schellin。〃
_Miller （pretending not to hear）。_ 〃As you are a beginner； I must offer
fair； twenty schellin you shall have； and that's three shillings above
Dunbar。〃
_Christie。_ 〃Wad ye even carted herrin with my fish caller fra' the sea？
and Dunbaroh； fine！ ye ken there's nae herrin at Dunbar the morn； this
is the Dunbar schule that slipped westward。 I'm the matirket； ye'll hae
to buy o' me or gang to your bed〃 _（here she signaled to Flucker）。_ 〃I'll
no be oot o' mine lang。〃
_Enter Flucker hastily； crying：_ 〃Cirsty； the Irishman will gie ye
twenty…two schellin。〃
〃I'll no tak it；〃 said Christie。
〃They are keen to hae them；〃 said Flucker； and hastily retired； as if to
treat further with the small merchants。
On this； Mr。 Miller； pretending to make for Leith； said； carelessly；
〃Twenty…three shillings； or they are not for me。〃
〃Tak the cutter's freight at a hundre' cran； an' I'm no caring；〃 said
Christie。
〃They are mine！〃 said Mr。 Miller； very sharply。 〃How much shall I give
you the day？〃
〃Auchty pund； sir； if you pleasethe lave when you like； I ken ye； Mr。
Miller。〃
While counting her the notes； the purchaser said slyly to her：
〃There's more than a hundred cran in the cutter； my woman。〃
〃A little； sir；〃 replied the vender； 〃but； ere I could count them till ye
by baskets； they would lose seven or eight cran in book；* your gain； my
loss。〃
*Bulk。
〃You are a vara intelligent young person；〃 said Mr。 Miller； gravely。
〃Ye had measured them wi' your walking…stick； sir； there's just ae scale
ye didna wipe off； though ye are a carefu' mon； Mr。 Miller； sae I laid
the bait for ye an' fine ye took it。〃
Miller took out his snuff…box； and tapping it said：
〃Will ye go into partnership with me； my dear？〃
〃Ay； sir！〃 was the reply。 〃When I'm aulder an' ye're younger。〃
At this moment the four merchants； believing it useless to disguise their
co…operation； returned to see what could be done。
〃We shall give you a guinea a barrel。〃
〃Why； ye offered her twenty…two shillings before。〃
〃That we never did； Mr。 Miller。〃
〃Haw！ haw！〃 went Flucker。
Christie looked down and blushed。
Eyes met eyes； and without a word spoken all was comprehended and
silently approved。 There was no nonsense uttered about morality in
connection with dealing。
Mr。 Miller took an enormous pinch of snuff； and drew for the benefit of
all present the following inference：
MR。 MILLER'S APOTHEGM。
〃Friends and neighbors！ when a man's heed is gray with age and thoucht
_（pause）_ he's just fit to go to schule to a young lass o' twenty。〃
There was a certain middle…aged fishwife； called Beeny Liston； a tenant
of Christie Johnstone's； she had not paid her rent for some time； and she
had not been pressed for it； whether this； or the whisky she was in the
habit of taking； rankled in her mind； certain it is she had always an ill
word for her landlady。
She now met her； envied her success； and called out in a coarse tone：
〃Oh； ye're a gallant quean； ye'll be waur than ever the noo。〃
〃What's wrang； if ye please？〃 said the Johnstone； sharply。
Reader； did you ever see two fallow bucks commence a duel？
They strut round； eight yards apart； tails up； look carefully another way
to make the other think it all means nothing； and； being both equally
sly； their horns come together as if by concert。
Even so commenced this duel of tongues between these two heroines。
Beeny Liston； looking at everybody but Christie； addressed the natives
who were congregating thus：
〃Did ever ye hear o' a decent lass taking the herrin' oot o' the men's
mooths？is yon a woman's pairt； I'm asking ye？〃
On this； Christie； looking carefully at all the others except Beeny；
inquired with an air of simple curiosity：
〃Can onybody tell me wha Liston Carnie's drunken wife is speakin' till？
no to ony decent lass； though。 Na！ ye ken she wad na hae th' impudence！〃
〃Oh； ye ken fine I'm speakin' till yoursel'。〃
Here the horns clashed together。
〃To me； woman？〃 _（with admirably acted surprise。）_ 〃Oo； ay！ it will be
for th