24 About the Feathered Folk. 



about. But 'twas ne'er a dog ! I 

 saw the bright eye, the lifted beak 

 of a big bird a hawk, maybe ; 

 but a hawk tremenjous big, and 

 if 'tis not an Eagle I'm a thick- 

 head!" 



" And you caught it ? " 



"I flung the horse-rug over it, 

 mem. I'd the cloth with me to gie 

 it a bit drying after the shower, and 

 I flung it with a twist o' me arm 

 over the brackens and the bird, and 

 rolled all together; and as the 

 kirk was near on scaling" (i.e. the 

 congregation near to coming out), 

 " I tucked the bundle under the 

 driving seat, put the horse to, 

 drove home my fare, and now I'm 

 just about to give the creature an 

 examination." 



Five minutes more and we were 

 standing in Campbell's shed, with 

 the bundle between us, gingerly 

 uncovering a corner or two. The 

 bird rustled about a bit, but showed 



