14 ZS LAID UP BY FEVER. CHAP. i. 



come back again." Tom was then taken in hand, 

 cleaned and scrubbed, and put to bed. Next morn- 

 ing his father, before he went out, appeared at the 

 boy's bedside, and said, " If ye go out this day, sir, 

 I'll have you chained." " But," replied Tom, " ye 

 hinna a cooch ;"* for he had no notion of any tiling 

 being chained but dogs. " Never mind," said his 

 father, " I'll chain you !" 



The boy had no inclination to rise that day. He 

 was hot and cold alternately. When he got up in 

 the afternoon, he was in a " gruize." f Then he went 

 to bed again. By the evening he was in a hot 

 fever. Next day he was worse. He raved, and be- 

 came delirious. He rambled about his beasts and his 

 birds. Then he ceased to speak. His mouth became 

 clammy and his tongue black. He hung between 

 life and death for several weeks. At length the fever 

 spent itself, leaving him utterly helpless. 



One afternoon, as he was gradually getting better, 

 he observed his mother sitting by his bedside. 

 " Mother," said he, " where are iny crabs and bandies 

 that I brocht hame last nicht ?" " Crabs and bandies !" 

 said she, " ye're surely gaun gyte ; J it's three months 

 sin ye were oot !" This passed the boy's comprehen- 

 sion. His next question was, " Has my father gotten 

 the chains yet?" "Na, laddie, nor winna ; but ye 



* Cooch, a dog-kennel. 



t Gruize, a rigor, generally preceding a cold or fever. 

 $ Gaun gytc, becoming insane, or acting foolishly. 



