CHAP. in. COUNTRY RAMBLES. 53 



morning, and, instead of going directly home, I used 

 to go up to the woods of Scotston and Scotston Moor, 

 scoured the country round them, and then returned 

 home by the Auld Brig. Another day I would go 

 up to Buxburn, range the woods and places about 

 them, and then home by Hilton or Woodside. Or 

 again, after having crossed Grandholm Bridge, in- 

 stead of going up by Lausie Hillock, I went away 

 down Don side, by Tillydrone, the Aulten (Old Aber- 

 deen), through the fields to the Aulten links, whipped 

 the whins there, then over the Broad hill, and home 

 by Constitution Street. I would reach it, perhaps, 

 about dinner-time, instead of at seven in the morn- 

 ing, although I had to be back at the mill again by 

 eight o'clock at night. 



" Once, on a Saturday, after having visited Bux- 

 burn, I went round by the back of the Dancing 

 Cairns to the Stocket and the woods of Hazelhead, 

 then down the Eubislaw road, and home in the even- 

 ing. Ah ! these were happy days. There were no 

 taws to fear, and no tyrannical dominie to lay them 

 on. True, the farm people did halloo at me at 

 times, but I generally showed them a clean pair of 

 heels. The gamekeepers, also, sometimes gave me 

 chase, but I managed to outstrip them ; and al- 

 though no nests were to be got, there was always 

 something to be found or seen. In winter-time, also, 

 when the canal was frozen, a mile of it lay in our 

 way home, and it was capital fun to slide along, 



