THE BURNING 247 



white, and the fish partook of the same colour. I 

 sent thirty-five brace of these fish, all similar in size, 

 a considerable distance lower down the stream, when 

 they were put under a bridge near my house. Many 

 of them died. But in three hours after the removal 

 I caught eight of the others with a fly without moving 

 from the spot : neither the size nor the colour of the 

 fish could possibly be mistaken. 



THE BURNING 



" Charlie, Charlie," cried Thomas Jamieson, 

 " there's fine sport going on the night ; our maister's 

 minded to burn the water, for she is low enough, ye 

 ken ; so ane o' us will hae to gang and split the twa 

 auld tar barrels for lights, an' the ither mun slidder 

 up to Abbotsford and tell your uncle Tarn what's 

 ganging forrat, and say that he has to meet us at 

 the Carrywheel at aight o'clock preceesely. Charlie, 

 ye'd best do the lights yoursel', and I'll hae to win 

 to Darnick, and get the wasters aw new sharpened. 

 Sandy and Rob will come nae doobt, and we should 

 hae auld Wat too ; but if he has been fou yestreen, 

 he'll no be worth a bawbee." 



' Ye need na fash yoursel' aboot the like o' him, 

 for he had a wee drap. I saw him the morn riddling 

 a cart fu' o' sand lyin' again the house end, which 

 he said he was making ready for biggin ; and as I 

 was coming awa' auld Janet gie me a wag wi' her 

 finger, and I gist steppit in. ' What do ye think ? ' 

 says she ; ' the auld vagabun was fou yestreen, and 

 he gaed out as he thought unseen by ony ; a' 

 watched him, and he hid his siller amang the sand, 



