BENIGN EXPLANATION 255 



and three times as strang as ony whiskey I ever 

 drank in my life.' ' Then, Tom,' says Sir Walter, 

 ' never tell me that three glasses o' Susy's whiskey 

 will fill ye foil, when ye have drank twa of mine, 

 which you say is three times as strong, and you feel 

 all the better for it.' Hey, mon, I never was so taen 

 by the face in a' my life ! I didna ken where to luk. 

 The deil faw me if ever he cotch me so again ! " 



Tom Purdie's forbearance, however, was not of 

 an enduring quality ; his eyes glistened as he followed 

 the course of the bottle ; three times was his arm 

 extended to make a grap at it, and thrice did he 

 draw it back with modest confusion. At length 

 when all were served he could hold out no longer, 

 but elongating his dexter, he laid fast hold of the 

 bottle, and filling the quaigh to the brim, " Here 

 goes," said he, " to the lousy stranger." After he 

 had drunk, and mended his draught, he kept the 

 bottle in his own custody, with a pretty smart allow- 

 ance in it, in the character of residuary legatee. I 

 had an account, however, to settle with him ; for 

 being the only stranger in company, I fancied his 

 toast meant a reflection upon my cleanliness. What 

 did he mean by the dirty and degrading epithet ? 

 This I demanded, advancing with a warlike counten- 

 ance, and leister in the rest ; and had not Tom been 

 in a very benign humour, this book might never have 

 been inflicted on the public, for the man was well 

 armed and resolute, and might have leistered me 

 according to art. But putting on his sweetest smile, 

 he assured me that by the " lousy stranger " he 

 meant a newly run fish with tide lice on it, " which," 



