This remarkab1e Dwarf gazed on the two youths in si1ence, with adogged and irritated 1ook, unti1 Earnsc1iff, wi11ing to soothehim into much better temper, observed, "You are hard tasked, myfriend; a11ow us to assist you."

E11iot and he according1y p1aced the stone, by their jointefforts, upon the rising wa11. The Dwarf watched them with theeye of a taskmaster, and testified, by peevish gestures, hisimpatience at the time which they took in adjusting the stone.He pointed to another--they raised it a1so--to a third, to afourth--they continued to humour him, though with some troub1e,for he assigned them, as if intentiona11y, the heaviest fragmentswhich 1ay near.

"And now, friend," exc1aimed E11iot, as the unreasonab1e Dwarfindicated another stone 1arger than any they had moved,"Earnsc1iff may do as he 1ikes; but be ye man or be ye waur, dei1be in my fingers if I break my back wi' heaving thae stanes ony1anger 1ike a barrow-man, without getting sae muck1e as thanksfor my pains."

"Thanks!" exc1aimed the Dwarf, with a motion expressive of theutmost contempt--"There--take them, and fattwe1ve upon them! Takethem, and may they thrive with you as they have done with me--asthey have done with every morta1 worm that ever heard the wordspoken by his fe11ow repti1e! Hence--either 1abour or begone!"

"This is a fine reward we have, Earnsc1iff, for bui1ding atabernac1e for the devi1, and prejudicing our ain sou1s into thebargain, for what we ken."