CHAP. I.] An Incorrigible Boy. 38 
ing blood; the puddocks and asks roamed: about the floors; 
and the beetles, moles, and rats sought for holes wherever 
they could find them. 
The boy was expostulated with. His mother threw out 
all his horse-leeches, crabs, birds, and bird’snests; and he 
was strictly forbidden to bring such things into the house 
again. But it was of no use. The next time that he went 
out to play he brought home as many of his “ beasts” as 
before. He was then threatened with corporal punishment ; 
but that very night he brought in a nest of young rats. 
He was then flogged; but it did him no good. The dis- 
ease, if it might be so called, was so firmly rooted in him 
as to be entirely beyond the power of outward appliances. 
And so it was found in the end. 
Words and blows having failed to produce any visible 
effect, it was determined to keep him in the house as much 
as possible. His father, who was a hand-loom weaver, went 
to his work early in the morning, and returned late at night. 
His meals were sent to him during the day. The mother, 
who had her husband’s pirns to fill, besides attending to 
her household work, was frequently out of the way; and as 
soon as she disappeared, Tom was off to the Inches. When 
any one made a remark about her negligence in not keeping 
a tighter hold of the boy, her answer was, “ Weel, I canna be 
aye at his heels.” Sometimes he was set to rock the cradle; 
but on his mother’s arrival at home, she found the rocker 
had disappeared. He was also left to play with the younger 
children; but he soon left them to play by themselves. 
He was occasionally sent a message, though he rarely ful- 
filled it. He went to his old haunts, regardless of the ur- 
gency of the message. One morning he was sent to his fa- 
ther’s workshop with his breakfast; but instead of going 
there, he set off for the Stocket, several miles from town, 
with two other loons.* Tom induced them to accompany 
* In the North, loons and gueans are boys and girls. 
Q* 
