TOM DRAW'S VISIT TO rlNE BROOK. 181 



tite, I reckon now a man whose guts is always cravin cravin 

 like yours be, had better a taken somethin' dry to keep it down 

 like, than a tvet to moisten it up more." 



By this time the natives, which had so moved Tom's indigna- 

 tion, were succeeded by a tureen of superb mutton broth, to 

 which the old man did devote himself most assiduously, while 

 Mac was loud in approbation of the brouse, saying it only want- 

 ed bannocks to be perfection. 



" Cuss you, you're niver satisfied, you aint," Tom had com- 

 menced, when he was cut short by " The Sherry round Tim " 

 from our host " you'd better take the brown, Tom, it's the 

 strongest !" The old man thrust his rummer forth, as being in- 

 finitely the biggest, and Timothy persisting in pouring out the 

 strong and fruity sherry into the proper glass burst out again 

 indignantly 



" I'd be pleased to know, Archer, now, why you puts big 

 glasses on the table, if you don't mean they should be drinked 

 out of to tantalize a chap, I reckon " down went the wine at 

 one gulp, and the exquisite aroma conquered he licked his lips, 

 sighed audibly, smiled, grinned, then laughed aloud. " I see 

 I see," he said at last ; " you reckon it's too prime to be drinked 

 out of big ones and I dun* know but what you're right too 

 but what on airthe is we to drink out of these not water, that 

 I know ! leastways, I niver see none in this house, no how." 



" The green one is for brandy, Tom !" McTavish answered. 



" Ey, ey !" Tom interrupted him, " and they makes them 

 green, I guess, so as no one shall see how much a body takes 

 now that's what I does call gentz<A !" 



u And this large plain one," added Mac, looking as grave as 

 a judge, and lifting one of the huge champagne glasses " is a 

 dram glass for drinking Scotch whiskey what they call in the 

 Highlands a thimblefull " 



" They take it as a medicine there, you see, Tom," continued 

 Archer ; " a preventive to a disease well known in those parts, 

 called the Scotch fiddle did you ever hear of it ?" 



" Carnt say," responded Tom ; " what like is't ?" 



" Oh, Mac will tell you, he suffers from it sadly didn't you 

 see him tuck in the specific it was in compliment to him I had 

 the thimbles set out to-day.'' 



" Oh ! that's it, ay ?" the fat man answered. " Well, I don't 

 care if I do " in answer to Harry's inquiry whether he would 

 take some boiled shad, which, with caper sauce, had replaced 



