204 SALMON FISHING IN THE TWEED 



" Did ye no see that bogle there by the quarry 

 stream, that garred me rin this gait ; haud on for 

 yer lives, sirs, for if he overtakes us, we are deid 

 men." 



" Why the truth is, Sandy, that I do not choose 

 to haud on at present, because I came forth in quest 

 of a bonny salmon, and cannot go home without 

 one ; could you not help me to such a thing ? " 



At this Sandy took a pinch of snuff from his 

 mull, and seeing my eyes fixed upon the length and 

 protuberance of his pocket, answered quaintly 

 enough — 



" Ay, that can I, and right glad am I to do ye 

 a favour ; ye shall no want for a salmon whilst I 

 have one." 



So saying, he pulled forth a ten pounder, which 

 occupied all the lower regions of his jacket. " How 

 the beast got here," said he, as he extracted him 

 gradually, " I dinna ken, but I am thinking that he 

 must have louped intill my pocket, as I war wading 

 the river." 



" Nothing more likely, and I will admit him to 

 have done so for once, but, mark me, I will not 

 admit of any salmon doing so in future without my 

 permission in writing. You have been trouting, it 

 seems ; pray what sort of a fly do you use ? " 



" Whiles I use a wee ane, and whiles a muckle 

 flie, — ane for rough and deep water, and the ither 

 for shallow streams. That is the way to trout, 

 both in loch and river." 



" True ! I see you have some bonny little flies 

 in your hat ; take it off carefully, Purdie — you 

 understand me — and let me admire them." 



