208 OCCURRENCE AT ABBOTSFORD. 



cum to the Boor *, Pepper and Finnet were hunting the 

 woods, and Maida was gaen ahint us ; and, to my great 

 astonishment, when I lukit a wee piece among the 

 the trees, Di, who was wi' me, war standing, and pit 

 out her muckle tail like the handle of a cleik. Or ever 

 I wishes, out gets a dirty beast of a hare, and bangs 

 right on to the walk afore us. Sir Walter and the 

 other man war going side by side ; or ever I kent, 

 Maida pit his muckle nose past me, when Pepper barkit, 

 and set up his great lugs ; and as the gentleman walked 

 rather wide at the knee, he saw the hare through atween 

 his legs, and made a great brush all at aince, and lifted 

 him off his feet. The gentleman, thinking he was going 

 to fa', cotched a firm grip o' Maida's rough hair as he 

 sat strid legs on his back. Maida wanted to follow 

 Pepper, and rin awa wi' him aboot thirty yards, when 

 he coupit him off, and he fell owr the brae among the 

 bushes on the under side o' the walk ; and Sir Walter 

 gie a laugh ; and I cudna behave mysel ava, for I was 

 nearly fawd doon wi' laughing too. Hey, mon, I never 

 was so takken by the face in aw my life ; and when the 

 gentleman got up, his breeks were riven at the knee ; 

 and when he cam out from among the bushes, he 

 lookit sae soor, that Sir Walter turned round and flate 

 on me for laughing ; but if I was to dee for it, I cudna 

 help it ; and Sir Walter turned his back to the gentle- 

 man and laughed himsel, joost as bad as me ; but the 

 gentleman never laughed a bit. Aweel, We turned to 

 gang hame again, and a' the way doon the walk the 



* A moss house or rustic seat. 



