THE POACHERS 1 SPOIL 205 



Charlie advances, and taking off the man's hat 

 with great care so as to keep the crown undermost, 

 he pulls out from the inside six well-tied salmon 

 flies of the most approved colours, which he trans- 

 ferred to his own pocket. I actually saw Meg- 

 with-the-muckle-mouth amongst them. 



" Ay, ye are as welcome to the flees as ye are 

 to the sawmont, and I am proud to do ye a good 

 turn at ony gait." 



"Well now, bear in mind, that I will never 

 permit you to throw a fly wee or muckle in the 

 Pavilion-water again ; and if you darken the shores 

 with your presence a second time, I will have you 

 up at Melrose." 



" I'm thinking I shall tak' your advice, for ye 

 seem a sensible chiel. Will ye accept of a pinch of 

 snuff?" 



" Good morning, good morning ; get home to 

 Selkirk as quick as ye can ; we know ye well for a 

 souter of that town. Run, run, the bogle is after 

 you! 



"Run, ay that will I, and the deil tak' the 

 hindmost," said he, and off he went at his best 

 pace ; leaving this blessing and the salmon to 

 solace us. 



Perhaps I shall best give a general idea of what 

 was going on formerly in close time by a recitation 

 of the confessions of my departed friend Thomas 

 Purdie ; and let it be borne in mind in his behalf, 

 that at the time of his cantrips salmon were not 

 valuable, and, consequently, little cared for, so no 

 great harm was done ; but it is clear from his own 

 showing that Tom in his early days was a sort of 



