202 KINDLING UP HEATHER AND COURAGE. 



certain sure it was neither mair nor less than the big 

 monster I had seen i' daylight. Sae wi' that settle- 

 ment there cam' the question ; how could I get another 

 chance? a weel, I lay still till just afore skye-break, 

 which I kend baith by my watch, and the cock that had 

 been through the night as quiet as the kye aneatli him. 

 I waken'd Sandie wi' muckle ado this time, and he 

 had nae grit broo' o' the business : but, however, be that 

 as it may, we tyed up another light an' set off again. 

 But there was still a hankering i' the callant's mind 

 anent ga'an back to the same place, where he had gotten 

 sic a fleg. He was like a colt that has been scar'd wi' a 

 gray stane, an's no willing to venture back to see that 

 its nae bogle. ' But is ye sure, Tam, it was na the 

 deil ? ' ' Deil a bit o' Satan it was Sandie, ma man,' 

 says I, ' for I saw him afore you ; an' the deil dare na 

 show himsel' in daylight on sic a day.' Weel, we gat 

 through the Queed again, an' kindled up the auld place. 

 When we cam' up to the muckle redd, the fiend a haed 

 was there but twae or three rowangatherers whidden 

 about ; sae we cam' up the water-side for the light was 

 only at the best, when, gonshens ! there was the great 

 brute o' a kipper, that, Avhen he had gotten a glint o' 

 the light had minded the dunt he got on the back, an' 

 was glidin' up the side o' the water within three step o' 

 the channel. I scraucht to Sandie to hand up the light, 

 and keepin' clear o' the back fin this time, I strack him 

 atween the back fin an' the gills, at the same time 

 shakin' the lyams off my arm. Peace be here ! if he 

 didna stem the throat four feet deep wi' the waster 

 sticking straight up in his back as if he never fand it. 



