242 AN ANGLER'S SEASON 



John paused, and then said, in a 

 lighter voice, "But there's ae guid thing. 

 It seems that Peter never bides very 

 long in ae place seldom mair than four 

 or five years. So, it may be, we ha'e only 

 twa years o'm noo." 



"Couldn't he be sent off before 

 then ? Why doesn't the Club give 

 him the sack?" I was speaking in the 

 hope of urging John on to further 

 chatter. 



" Send Peter awa', Sir ! Mercy on us, 

 wha would daur to dae that ? It was 

 thocht o' at first, when it was seen that 

 Peter negleckit his wark ; but when 

 things cam' to the pint, at an extraordinar' 

 general meetin' o' the gowfers, naebody 

 could be got to propose the motion. 

 They a' kent that onybody wha did pro- 

 pose't would be a target for Peter's evil 

 ee. So, I'm told, they a' sat as quiet and 

 solemn as if they were i' the kirk. Mail- 

 dumb, in fact ; for no' even the Captain, 

 wha was in the chair, found his tongue, 

 excep' to say, after they had a' sat in 



