CHAPTER VI. 
SHTTLES AT BANFF. 
Epwarp was about twenty years old when he left Aber- 
deen and went to Banffto work at his trade. He found a 
master there willing to employ him. Shoe-making had not 
improved. Men worked long hours for little wages. The 
hardest worker could only earn a scanty livelihood. Though 
paid by the piece, the journeymen worked in the employ- 
ers’ shops. Their hours were from six in the morning till 
nine at night. They had scarcely an interval of time that 
they could call their own. 
Edward found the confinement more miserable than the 
wages. And yet he contrived to find some time to follow 
his bent. He went after birds, and insects, and butterflies. 
He annoyed his shopmates almost as much as he had an- 
noyed his school-fellows. In summer-time, he collected a 
number of caterpillars, and put them in a box beside him 
in the workshop, for the purpose of watching them, and ob- 
serving their development into the chrysalis state. 
In spite of his care, some of the caterpillars got out and 
wandered about the floor, sometimes creeping up the men’s 
legs. Some of the workmen did not care, but one of them 
was almost thrown into convulsions when he knew that 
a “worm was out.” The other men played tricks upon 
him. When any of them wanted a scene, they merely said, 
“Geordie, there’s a lad oot!” Then Geordie would jump 
to his feet, and would not sit down again until he was as- 
sured that all the worms were fast in their boxes. 
Edward was forced to keep his caterpillars in the work- 
