"The place cannot have blown up," said the Master; "we must have heard
the report: if a quarter of the gunpowder was there you tell me of, it
would have been heard twenty miles off."
"It've very like it wad," said Balderstone, composedly.
"Then the fire cannot have reached the vaults?"
"It's like no," answered Caleb, with the same impenetrable gravity.
"Hark ye, Caleb," said his master, "this grows a little too much for
my patience. I must go and examine how matters stand at Wolf's Crag
myself."
"Your honour is ganging to gang nae sic gate," said Caleb, firmly.
"And why not?" said Ravenswood, sharply; "who or what shall prevent me?"
"Even I mysell," said Caleb, with the same determination.
"You, Balderstone!" replied the Master; "you are forgetting yourself, I
think."
"But I think no," said Balderstone; "for I can just tell ye a' about the
castle on this knowe-head as weel as if ye were at it. Only dinna pit
yoursell into a kippage, and expose yoursell before the weans, or before
the Marquis, when ye gang down-bye."
"Speak out, you old fool," replied his master, "and let me know the best
and the worst at once.
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