226 DAYS AND NIGHTS OF SALMON FISHING 



with a cane in his hand, was looking over his shoulder. 

 As I thought some amusing contrast of character 

 would take place, I listened to what was going on ; 

 in fact, the little man's gestures were so grotesque 

 that I was willing to enjoy them as long as possible. 

 He would stand still and look over the artist's paper 

 with a scrutinising expression ; then he would draw 

 back a little, and stamp his cane on the ground with 

 all the force and dignity of a baillie. In the mean- 

 time our friend was so absorbed in his work that he 

 seemed wholly unconscious of this person's presence, 

 till he was aroused by the little man himself, who 

 said, in a loud tone, and with an air of consummate 

 consequence, stamping a tombstone at the same 

 time with his staff of office 



" Weel, friend, what may ye be doing here ? ' 



Tintern, looking back over his shoulder, said, in 

 his absent manner " I think he must have been 

 buried at the eastern end of the Abbey ; am I right, 

 my good sir ? ' 



" Aye, aye I thought so I ken weel eneuch 

 what ye're after ; ye are ane o' thae chiels that gang 

 aboot to raise the dead bodies o' the departed 

 corpses ; Od, that's a gude yane ! ' 



Tintern (still sketching, and speaking abstractedly), 

 " I'd give something to see old Michael Scott's 

 tomb." 



" Nae dout ye would ; but I'll tak' gude tent to 

 hae a sure hand or twae to watch yer howking tricks 

 the night." 



So saying, " the little round fat oily man " 

 marched off with great dignity, muttering, " Od, 



