268 The Hunting Field With Horse and Hound 



owned a place like that," I remarked, "I should never want to 

 leave it." "Indeed, mon," replied our host, "ye min'e have tae 

 leave it; the man who lived there don't live there noo, he's 

 dead." 



"Then we could not see him to-day if we should call?" 



"Na, a dinna ken but a'm thinking he is clumping the skies 

 hunting a feller by the name o' Thomas." 



"How is that?" "Well," rephes our host, "he was the 

 squire o' the town, but, nevertheless, he took sick and had to 

 dae and when it was talked aboot that he was gaein' to dae, a 

 woman living fourteen miles awa' when she heard aboot it came 

 in to see him. Her own good man Thomas, having gon awa' 

 up some three month afoor, the good wife thought it would be 

 a bonny chance if the squire was goin' to dae to send a word 

 to her Thomas. When she came in to see him she said, 'A 

 heard yer gaein' to dae.' 'So the doctor tells me,' said the squire. 

 'Would ye mind taking a message to ma Thomas what's gone 

 awa' up yon?' 'Well,' said the squire, 'what is it?' 'Till him, 

 said the woman, 'the bairns are going to school and the garten 

 is growing fine, and we have a newy pair of shafts in the 

 wagon ; and till him we ha' some newy little pigs and the quey 

 (heifer) has a bonny little calf also a quey,' and so she went 

 on and on and finally, having made such a good account of 

 everything, she closed by saying, 'and till him we'r gaein' on 

 sare weel we'out him.' The squire cut her short at this, with 

 'And think ye a'll ha' nithing to do, when I ga' up yon, 

 than ga clumping (tramping) the skies, hunting yer Thomas?' 

 The squire," added my host, "was a gruff old man and sort o' 

 contrary like, always saying one thing and doing anither ; so a 

 doot na he is noo clumping the skies hunting a feller by the 

 name o' Thomas." 



Bess meanwhile, hearing a story going on, took advantage 

 of it to slow down to a walk. "Noo ga awa', lass," said our 

 host, in a voice intended to convey reproach, pulling back on 



