RAB AND HIS FRIENDS 



of James's business, and was now master of 

 Jess and her cart. " How's Rab ? " He put 

 me off, and said rather rudely, " What's your 

 business wi' the dowg ? " I was not to be 

 put off. "Where's Rab?" He, getting 

 confused and red, and intermeddling with 

 his hair, said, "'Deed, sir, Rab's deid." 

 " Dead ! what did he die of ? " Weel, sir," 

 said he, getting redder, " he didna exactly 

 dee ; he was killed. I had to brain him wi' 

 a rack-pin ; there was nae doin' wi' him. 

 He lay in the treviss wi' the mear, and wadna 

 come oot. I tempit him wi' kail and meat, 

 but he wad tak naething, and keepit me frae 

 feedin' the beast, and he was aye gur gurrin', 

 and grup gruppin' me by the legs. I was 

 laith to mak' awa wi' the auld dowg, his like 

 wasna atween this and Thornhill, but, 

 'deed, sir, 1 could do naething else." I 

 believed him. Fit end for Rab, quick and 

 complete. His teeth and his friends gone, 

 why should he keep the peace and be civil ? 

 He was buried in the braeface, near the 



43 



