CHAP, v.] POACHERS AND KEEPERS. 45 



show it to them, as I was a stranger there, and I didn't wish 

 them to know my name. Weel, we went on in this way, till at 

 last the laird's keeper, who I knew well enough, though he didn't 

 know me, whispered to the rest, and all three made a push at 

 me, while the chiels below me tried to get up too. The keeper 

 was the only one with any pluck amongst them, and he sprang 

 on my neck, and as he was a clever like lad, I began to get sore 

 pressed. Just then, however, 1 lifted up my left hand, and 

 pulled one of the sticks that served for rafters, out of the roof 

 above me, and my blood was getting quite mad like, and the 

 Lord only knows what would have happened if they hadn't all 

 been a bit frightened at seeing me get the stick, and when part of 

 the roof came falling on them, and so they all left me and went 

 to the other end of the shealing. The keeper was but ill pleased 

 though as for the bit constable body, his painted stick came into 

 my hand some how, and he never got it again ! One of the lads 

 below my knee got hurt in this scuffle too, indeed one of his ribs 

 was broken, so I helped to lift him up, and put him on the bed. 

 The others threatened me a great deal, but did na like the looks 

 of the bit constable's staff I had in my hand. At last, when they 

 found that they could do nothing, they begged me, in the Lord's 

 name, to leave the shealing and gang my way in peace. But I 

 did na like this, as it was six hours at least to the next bothy 

 where I could get a good rest, so I just told them to go them- 

 selves and as they did na seem in a hurry to do so, I went at 

 them with my staff, but they did na bide my coming, and were all 

 tumbling out of the door in a heap, before I was near them : I 

 could na help laughing to see them. It was coming on a wild 

 night, and the poor fellow in the bed seemed vera bad, so I 

 called to them and told them they might just come back and 

 sleep in the shtaling if they would leave me in peace and after 

 a little talk they all came in, and I laid down in my plaid at one 

 end of the bothy, leaving them the other. I made the lad who 

 was with me watch part of the night to see they didn't get at me 

 when I was asleep, though I didn't want him to join in helping 

 me, as they knew his name, and it might have pot him into 

 trouble. In the morning I made my breakfast with some meal 

 I had with me, and gave them the lave of it. They would have 

 been right pleased to have got me with them. but as they 



