^6 Mr, and Lady Thomasina Clinker, 



about it, the aforesaid navigators have playfully put up 

 all along the line for miles, a great strong oak post and rail, 

 and it is the sight of this formidable obstruction that so ap- 

 pals for a moment our two hunting friends. At the sight of 

 the red-coat the navvies are up in a moment, and begin to 

 chaff. Eh, lad ! " shouts one big fellov^ w^ith a grin, '• ye'll 

 hev to gan back, arm thinkin'." Johnnie offers half-a- 

 crown to one of them to pull off the top rail, but 

 the ganger, a big angular-looking Scotchman, coming up, 

 sternly forbids anything of the sort. Noo, says Mr. Sandy 

 MTavish, ^' I wunna giv me consint on ony accoont, 

 mun, to demegin' the company's prupperty." 



^' Oh, you v^on't, v^^on't you ? " replies Johnnie, in answer 

 to this rebuff, getting out of patience. *' Oh, you won't, 

 won't you ? Then get out of the way, you ugly Scotch 

 sinner, or I shall ride over you." And, turning round with- 

 out more ado, he gives his horse a good run at the rails, 

 and gets over cleverly, nearly knocking over the big 

 Scotchman as he lands. His hunter hits the top bar, but 

 it doesn't so much as bend. 



" I'm coming, Johnnie ! " he hears his wife call out 

 behind him, and before he can say ''Jack Robinson," she 

 has set her horse going, increasing her pace as she nears 

 the formidable post and rails, and in another second is at 

 his side. The navvies are delighted, and cheer with might 

 and main. Without even being asked, the biggest of them 

 at once proceeds to break down the opposite rail, much to 

 the indignation of the tall Scotchman, who vows vengeance 

 against "yon rackless young faller," as he calls Johnnie, 

 who, with his wife, is now half a mile off. 



" Eh, but yon's as bonny a lookin' lass as iver I see," 

 says an admiring navvy as, having watched the pair out 



