old woman who 'had
so many children she didn't know what to do.' Dr. Anderson ordered
nourishment for Ericson, and here was Shargar upon his hands as well!
Shargar and he could share, to be sure, and exist: but for Ericson--?

Not a word did Robert exchange with Shargar till he had gone to the
druggist's and got the medicine for Ericson, who, after taking it, fell
into a troubled sleep. Then, leaving the two doors open, Robert joined
Shargar in his own room. There he made up a good fire, and they sat and
dried themselves.

'Noo, Shargar,' said Robert at length, 'hoo cam ye here?'

His question was too like one of his grandmother's to be pleasant to
Shargar.

'Dinna speyk to me that gait, Robert, or I'll cut my throat' he
returned.

'Hoots! I maun ken a' aboot it,' insisted Robert, but with much modified
and partly convicted tone.

'Weel, I never said I wadna tell ye a' aboot it. The fac' 's this--an'
I'm no' up to the leein' as I used to be, Robert: I hae tried it ower
an' ower, but a lee comes rouch throw my thrapple (windpipe) noo. Faith!
I cud hae leed ance wi' onybody, barrin' the de'il. I winna lee. I'm nae
leein'. The fac's jist this: I cudna bide ahin' ye ony langer.'

'But what, the muckle lang-tailed deevil! am I to do wi' ye?' returned
Robert, in real perplexity, though only pretended displeasure.

'Gie me something to ate, an' I'll tell ye what to do wi' me,' answered
Shargar. 'I dinna care a scart (scratch) what it is.'

Robert rang the bell and ordered some porridge, and while it was
preparing, Shargar told his story--how having heard a rumour of
apprenticeship to a tailor, he had the same night dropped from the
gable window to the ground, and with three halfpence in his pocket had
wandered and begged his way to Aberdeen, arriving with one halfpenny
left.

'But what am I to do wi' ye?' said Robert once more, in as much
perplexity as ever.

'Bide till I hae tellt ye, as I said I wad,' answered Shargar. 'Dinna ye
think I'm the haveless (careless and therefore helpless) crater I used
to be. I hae been in Aberdeen three days! Ay, an' I hae seen you ilka
day in yer reid goon, an' richt braw it is. Luik ye here!'

He put his hand in his pocket and pulled out what amounted to two or
three shillings, chiefly in coppers, which he exposed with triumph on
the table.

'Whaur got ye a' that siller, man?' asked Robert.

'Here and there, I kenna whaur; but I hae gien the weicht o' 't for 't
a' the same-