EARNING AN HONEST PENNY. 215 



paper, steel pens, and other knick-knacks, who frequently pays us 

 a visit in Lochaber, and with whom, in lieu of better company, we 

 have had many a far from uninteresting roadside crack. As, with 

 a longer and livelier stride than his, we were rapidly overtaking him, 

 we noticed that he frequently stopped and picked up something, 

 now from the middle of the road, now from the footpath at the 

 side, and occasionally from the grass beyond, which something he 

 instantly deposited in a sort of canvas side-pouch or wallet slung 

 at his side. " Well, Willie," we exclaimed, as we came up with 

 him, " what in the world are you doing in the glen to-day, and 

 where's your pack ? I wish to have a look at your bundle of 

 ballads?" " Weel, sir," was Willie's response, " my pack is laid 

 by at Duror just now ; my present wark " — here he made a dart at 

 something on the grass that looked to us uncommonly like a big 

 black' beetle, and transferred it to his wallet, — " my present wark," 

 he went on to say, " pays far better, and is mair pleasant, besides, 

 in this dreadfu' hot weather."' " But what is your present work, 

 Willie % " we inquired, " what are you so industriously picking up 

 along the road and transferring to your wallet 1 Snails ? beetles ? 

 what 1 " " No mony snails, or beetles either, sir," said Willie, 

 with more entomological good sense than we gave him credit for, 

 " abroad in such hot and dry weather as this is. I'm no very fond 

 of telling what I am doing to everybody ; and when I see anybody 

 coming, I generally sit down and let them pass ; but I saw you 

 coming, sir, and I kent ye brawly, and didn't mind. And now I'll 

 show ye what I'm gathering." With this he put his hand in his 

 capacious pouch, and took out a handful of cigar and cheroot 

 stumps, of all shapes and sizes. Some had been " smoked out," 

 that is, till only an inch or so remained ; others were only half 

 smoked, and a few had only afforded the smoker a whiff or two, 

 when, from a disinclination to smoke any further, or, perhaps, from 

 some defect in the cigar itself, it was thrown away as of no further 



