sten tae me!" he said, "and let thae brawlin', braggin', bletherin'
idiwits frae Drouthielaw haud their lang clavering tongues, and no keep
rowtin' like a herd o' senseless nowte! (Great cheering from Dreepdaily
and Kittleweem--considerable disapprobation from Drouthielaw.) I ken them
weel, the auld haverils! (cheers.) But you, my freends, that I have dwalt
wi' for twenty years, is it possible that ye can believe for one moment
that I wad submit to be dictated to by a Clique? (Cries of "no! no!" "It's
no you, Tam!" and confusion.) No me? I dinna thank ye for that! Wull ony
man daur to say to my face, that I ever colleagued wi' a pack that wad buy
and sell the haill of us as readily as ye can deal wi' sheep's-heads in
the public market? (Laughter.) Div ye think that if Mr Dunshunner was ony
way mixed up wi' that gang, I wad be here this day tae second him? Div ye
think----"

Here Mr Gills met with a singular interruption. A remarkable figure
attired in a red coat and cocked-hat, at one time probably the property of
a civic officer, and who had been observed for some time bobbing about in
front of the hustings, was now elevated upon the shoulders of a yeoman,
and displayed to the delighted spectators the features of Geordie Dowie.

"Ay, Toddy Tam, are ye there, man?" cried Geordie with a malignant grin.
"What was you and the Clique doin' at Nanse Finlayson's on Friday nicht?"

"What was it, Geordie? What was it?" cried a hundred voices.

"Am I to be interrupted by a natural?" cried Gills, looking, however,
considerably flushed in the face.

"What hae ye dune wi' the notes, Tam, that the lang chield up by there
gied ye? And whaur's your freends, Shanks and M'Auslan? See that ye steek
to the window neist time, ma man!" cried Geordie with demoniac ferocity.

This was quite enough for the mob, who seldom require any excuse for a
display of their hereditary privileges. A perfect hurricane of hissing,
and of yelling arose, and Gills, though he fought like a hero, was at last
forced to retire from the contest. Had Geordie Dowie's windpipe been
within his grasp at that moment, I would not have insured for any amount
the life of the perfidious spy.

Sholto Douglas was proposed and seconded amidst great cheering, and then
Pozzlethwaite rose to speak. I do not very well recollect what he said,
for I had quite enough to do in thinking about, myself, and the Honourable
Paul would have conferred a material obligation upon me, if h