k me, with a pair of
shoon in his hand; and who, in scratching his head, mostly rugged out
every hair of his wig with sheer vexation--I ran off, and mounted the
ladder a second time, and succeeded, after muckle speeling, in getting
upon the top of the wall; where, having a bucket slung up to me by means
of a rope, I swashed down such showers on the top of the flames, that I
soon did more good, in the space of five minutes, than the engine and the
ten men, that were all in a broth of perspiration with pumping it, did
the whole night over: to say nothing of the multitude of drawers of
water, men, wives, and weans, with their cuddies, leglins, pitchers,
pails, and water-stoups; having the satisfaction, in a short time, to
observe every thing getting as black as the crown of my hat, and the
gable of my own house becoming as cool as a cucumber.

Being a man of method, and acquainted with business, I could have liked
to have given a finishing stitch to my work before descending the ladder;
but, losh me! sic a whingeing, girning, greeting, and roaring, got up all
of a sudden, as was never seen or heard of since bowed Joseph raised the
meal-mob, and burned Johnnie Wilkes in effigy; and, looking down, I saw
Benjie, the bairn of my own heart, and the callant Glen, my apprentice on
trial, that had both been as sound as tops till this blessed moment,
standing in their nightgowns and their little red cowls, rubbing their
eyes, cowering with cold and fright, and making an awful uproar, crying
on me to come down and not be killed. The voice of Benjie especially
pierced through and through my heart, like a two-edged sword, and I could
on no manner of account suffer myself to bear it any longer, as I
jealoused the bairn would have gone into convulsion fits if I had not
heeded him; so, making a sign to them to be quiet, I came my ways down,
taking hold of one in ilka hand, which must have been a fatherly sight to
the spectators that saw us. After waiting on the crown of the causey for
half an hour, to make sure that the fire was extinguished, and all tight
and right, I saw the crowd scaling, and thought it best to go in too,
carrying the two youngsters along with me. When I began to move off,
however, siccan a cheering of the multitude got up as would have deafened
a cannon; and though I say it myself, who should not say it, they seemed
struck with a sore amazement at my heroic behaviour, following me with
loud cheers even to the thres