it was a bonny
knowe that broomy knowe, and an unco braw shelter for the lambs in a
severe morning like this."

"Ay," said his patron, "but ye ken we maun hae turnips for the lang
sheep, billie, and muckle hard wark to get them, baith wi' the pleugh
and the howe; and that wad sort ill wi' sitting on the broomy knowe, and
cracking about Black Dwarfs, and siccan clavers, as was the gate lang
syne, when the short sheep were in the fashion."

"Aweel, aweel, maister," said the attendant, "short sheep had short
rents, I'm thinking."

Here my WORTHY AND LEARNED patron again interposed, and observed, "that
he could never perceive any material difference, in point of longitude,
between one sheep and another."

This occasioned a loud hoarse laugh on the part of the farmer, and an
astonished stare on the part of the shepherd.

"It's the woo', man,--it's the woo', and no the beasts themsells, that
makes them be ca'd lang or short. I believe if ye were to measure their
backs, the short sheep wad be rather the langer-bodied o' the twa; but
it's the woo' that pays the rent in thae days, and it had muckle need."

"Odd, Bauldie says very true,--short sheep did make short rents--my
father paid for our steading just threescore punds, and it stands me in
three hundred, plack and bawbee.--And that's very true--I hae nae time
to be standing here clavering--Landlord, get us our breakfast, and see
an' get the yauds fed--I am for doun to Christy Wilson's, to see if him
and me can gree about the luckpenny I am to gie him for his year-aulds.
We had drank sax mutchkins to the making the bargain at St. Boswell's
fair, and some gate we canna gree upon the particulars preceesely, for
as muckle time as we took about it--I doubt we draw to a plea--But hear
ye, neighbour," addressing my WORTHY AND LEARNED patron, "if ye want to
hear onything about lang or short sheep, I will be back here to my kail
against ane o'clock; or, if ye want ony auld-warld stories about the
Black Dwarf, and sic-like, if ye'll ware a half mutchkin upon Bauldie
there, he'll crack t'ye like a pen-gun. And I'se gie ye a mutchkin
mysell, man, if I can settle weel wi' Christy Wilson."

The farmer returned at the hour appointed, and with him came Christy
Wilson, their difference having been fortunately settled without an
appeal to the gentlemen of the long robe. My LEARNED AND WORTHY patron
failed not to attend, both on account of the refreshment promised to the
mind and to th