1 66 Autumn 



whom I knew as the hardiest, merriest, and most 

 daring of Border wastrels was (literally) chortling in 

 his joy when his bough broke, and down he splashed 

 into the water. In itself his mishap was trifling, for 

 the place is not deep ; but as he fell a projecting rock 

 got in the way of his head, and so ' davered ' him that 

 he would have stood a fair chance of drowning if I 

 had not come out and pulled him ashore. He recovered 

 easily enough, and ' Wully ' explained what had 

 happened, when he considered me with great suspicion, 



and ' You look d d respectable,' he said. I laughed, 



for I knew what was coming. ' Eh, hewl ! ' he shouted, 

 * it's the chap collar'd me at Lowrie's Gap twa year 

 syne, and then begged us aff. Man, what the deevil 

 are ee daein' here ? ' Now, Lowrie's Gap is the name 

 of a field on the other side of the Border, a good 

 thirty miles from where we stood. It belongs to a 

 friend of mine, with whom, as a matter of fact, I had 

 sat up one night, when I had helped him to capture 

 this particular poacher, who had been released on a 

 solemn promise that a certain estate should not exist 

 for him henceforth. I myself had read the rascal a 

 forcible homily on the iniquity of promise-breaking 

 after such a course of treatment ; and ' You might as 

 well tear a bit of paper in two, and expect it to work 

 like a charm,' said my friend. The event was with 

 him. During subsequent seasons, this and many an 

 English estate was raided from the little towns over 

 Tweed ; and Watty, howbeit he keeps clear of the 



