CUMMANSHEMENSLAIGE 105 



** Here is your whip, William," said his cousin, 

 coming up. " Mr. Moncrieff found it below the cross 

 roads." 



'* I must have dropped it when I got out to look 

 for my cap." 



We remembered there had been an interval of 

 about a mile between the whip and the cap, but 

 we said nothing. 



'' I couldn't find the second step of my trap," he 

 continued, '' and slipped and cut my head a bit." 



'' Mr. Moncrieff here sa3^s there is a very wobbly 

 driver in the valle}^, William — a man who drives a 

 flat- tyred broad wheel." 



^' Ah, ah, Jim, that's you ; ye mind ye had your 

 wheels new ringed by Robbie Tamson just a fort- 

 night since. Mine has a narrow round tyre, and 

 makes a track like a velocipede. But open the gig- 

 house and we'll see it." 



The gig-house doors were opened, and there stood 

 Jim Peebles' cart, and in the stable an unconcerned- 

 looking boy was wiping down Jim Peebles' mare. 

 William gasped and looked as if he might have 

 explained away the cart, but the two together, cart 

 and mare, were too weighty evidence against him ; 

 so producing his snuff-box, removing his cap, and 

 displaying a bandaged head, he said, '^ Well, that 

 accounts for the bezzom reisting on the hill and 

 cutting across the grass at the corner. But," he 

 added, with confidence, ^' I'll take my davy that I 

 started in my own trap. We must have changed 

 them when I was looking for my whip, for I mind 

 kindling a match there and sheltering it from the 

 wind with my cap." 



