CHRISTOPHER IN HIS SPORTING JACKET 



bursts his way through the brakes; panting, not from 

 breathlessness but anxiety, he hghtly leaps the gar- 

 den fence without a pole, and lo, the green jacket 

 of one huntsman, the red jacket of another, on the 

 plat before the door, and two or three tall rawboned 

 poachers — and there is mirth and music, fun and 

 frolic, and the very soul of enterprise, adventure, 

 and desperation, in that word — while tall and grace- 

 ful stand the black, the brindled, and the yellow 

 breed, with keen yet quiet eyes, prophetic of their 

 destined prey, and though motionless now as stone 

 statues of hounds at the feet of Meleager, soon to 

 launch like lightning at the loved halloo! 



Out comes the gudewife with her own bottle from 

 the press in the spence, with as big a belly and broad 

 a bottom as her own, and they are no trifle — for the 

 worthy woman has been making much beef for many 

 years, is moreover in the family way, and surely this 

 time there will be twins at least — and pours out a 

 canty caulker for each crowing crony, beginning with 

 the gentle, and ending with the semple, that is our- 

 and her-self ; and better speerit never steamed in sma' 

 still. She offers another with "hinny,'' by way of 

 Athole brose; but it is put off till evening, for cours- 

 ing requires a clear head, and the same sobriety then 

 adorned our youth that now dignifies our old age. 

 The gudeman, although an elder of the kirk, and 

 [ 32] 



