CHAP. i. HIS RECOVERY. 15 



maunna gang back to yer auld places for beasts again." 

 "But where's a' my things, mother?" "They're 

 awa t The twa bottoms o' broken bottles we found 

 in the entry, the day you fell ill, were both thrown 

 out." " And the shrew mouse ye had in the boxie ? " 

 "Calton (the cat) took it." This set the boy a- 

 crying, and in that state he fell asleep, and did not 

 waken till late next morning, when he felt consider- 

 ably better. He still, however, continued to make 

 inquiries after his beasts. 



His father, being in-doors, and seeing the boy rising 

 and leaning upon his elbow, said to him, "Come 

 awa, laddie. It's long since ye were oot. The whins, 

 and birds, and water-dogs* at Daiddie Brown's burnie, 

 will be a' langin to see ye again." The boy looked 

 at his mother, and smiled, but said nothing. In a 

 few days he was able to rise, but the spring was well 

 advanced before he was able to go out of doors. 



He then improved rapidly. He was able to go 

 farther and farther eveiy day. At first he wandered 

 along the beach. Then he roamed about over the 

 country. He got to know the best nesting places 

 the woods, plantations, and hedges, the streams, 

 burns, locks, and mill-dams, all round Aberdeen. 

 When the other boys missed a nest, it was always 

 " that loon Edward " that took it. For this he was 

 thrashed, though he was only about four years old. 



One of his favourite spots was the Den*f- and quar- 



* Water-rats. t Den, dean, a dingle or small valley. 



