SANDY TRUMMEL'S MISHAP. 245 



themselves between his shirt and cape of his jacket be- 

 hind ; whereat Tom Purdie, who was a considerate and 

 humane man, took up the scoop which was used for 

 ladling out the boat, and filling that capacious utensil 

 with water to the extent of its capacity, came behind 

 the aggrieved, and emptied the whole contents down his 

 back. ** And now Sandy, mon," says he, " I hae made 

 ye quite comfortable, and ye owe me a gude turn." But, 

 who would have thought it ? The blood of the Trummels 

 was up ; and seizing a firebrand in a style that did little 

 honour to his gratitude, the diluted one rushed forward 

 intent on vengeance. Grim looked Tom Purdie, and 

 charging with his leister, he held the foeman at bay. 

 Who can say what Homeric deeds might not have been 

 done, had not Charlie, first whispering to the master 

 to stand fast, given the boat a sudden whirl round 

 with the stroke of an oar, which laid Tom Purdie flat 

 upon his back at the bottom of the boat, and canted 

 Sandy Trummel fairly overboard? He fell in rather 

 a picturesque attitude, for which I cannot in candour 

 give him much credit, as the affair seemed to be quite 

 involuntary and too sudden for him to study effect. His 

 right hand held the torch aloft for a moment, Marmion 

 fashion, which soon fell and hissed in the current with 

 a train of smoke which trailed along the surface of the 

 water. Sandy's feet were actively employed in kicking 

 his best, by which means he agitated the water in such 

 a manner that, with the assistance of the light, it made 

 a very brilliant and imposing appearance. The stream 

 here being very shallow, he soon began to emerge, and 

 about two thirds of his fair proportions rose up from 



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