CHAP. I.] Stoten by Gypsies. 31 
been kidnaped by a gypsy woman when a child at Kirk- 
caldy, many years before; and such things live long in 
popular recollection. 
A hue and cry was accordingly got up in Kettle about 
the bairn that had been stolen by the gypsies. Their camp 
was known to be in the neighborhood, about three miles 
off. Tom’s uncle and three other men volunteered to go 
early next morning. The neighbors went to their homes, 
except two, who remained with the mother. She sat by 
the fire all night—a long, wretched, dreary night. arly 
in the morning the four men started. They found the 
gypsy camp, and stated their grievance. They “ wanted 
the child that had been kidnaped yesterday.” “ What?” 
said the chief gypsy ; “‘we never kidnap children: such a 
dishonest deed has never been laid to our charge. But, 
now that you are here, you had better look for yourselves.” 
As the searchers were passing through among the carts 
and tents, they were set upon by a number of women and. 
girls, and belabored with every kind of weapon and missile. 
Those who had neither sticks nor ropes used their claws. 
The men were unmercifully pummeled and scratched before 
they could make their escape. They reached Kettle in a 
deplorable state—without the child! 
All hopes of his recovery in that quarter being ended, an- 
other body of men prepared to set out in another direction. 
But at this moment they were amazed by a scream out- 
side the house. All eyes were turned to the door, when in 
rushed the pig-wife, and, without the least ceremony, threw 
‘the child into his mother’s lap. ‘‘ There, woman, there’s yer 
bairn! but for God’s sake keep him awa frae yon place, or 
he may fare war next time.” “ But whar was he?” they 
exclaimed in a breath. ‘ Whar wud he be but below Bet 
and her pigs a’ nicht!”* 
* The question occurred, How did the child get among the pigs? 
He could not have climbed over the paling; he must have been lifted 
