154 JOHN DUNCAN, WEAVER AND BOTANIST. 



return with him. And thus, under the charms of com- 

 panionship and discourse, they often traced and retraced 

 their steps for hours together past midnight. It is to be 

 hoped that the reader has frequently indulged in such 

 happy, peripatetic philosophising and folly ! 



One night they had been talking of some plants which 

 Charles possessed but John did not, and Charles mentioned 

 one he had seen growing luxuriantly near the Loch of 

 Skene. This lake lies on the side of the turnpike which 

 runs from Alford to Aberdeen, about two-thirds of the 

 distance from Whitehouse to the city. John got him to 

 describe the plant and its locality minutely. On account 

 of their usual meanderings above and below the gates, they 

 parted after twelve. Next morning, when the gardener 

 rose to begin the work of the day, he was not a little sur- 

 prised to see John waiting for him at the door, in a state 

 of beaming excitement, with a plant in his hand. Before 

 Charles could express his astonishment, John handed it to 

 him with a bright light in his eye, and, in a quiet, subdued 

 voice, that scarcely concealed the secret victorious satis- 

 faction he felt, said, " Weel, Charlie, isn't that hit ? " 



It was the very plant they had been talking of when 

 they parted ! The eager little man had there and then set 

 out along the high-road in the dark ; through the pass of 

 Tillyfourie, a steep bit of climbing; on by the inn of Ligger- 

 dale, a frequent resting-place for the night with travellers 

 from above Alford; and past the woods of Dunecht on the 

 right, since famous for their astronomical proprietor, till at 

 last he reached the Loch of Skene. Here, at the first peep 

 of day, he searched for and found the plant he sought, and 

 with his well-won treasure returned to Whitehouse, to sur- 



