half mutchkin
by getting through first, after driving over the tollman, it was at the
expense of poor Robbie's being ejected from his stirrups like a
battering-ram, and disappearing head-foremost through the toll-house
window, which was open, hat, wig, green umbrella, and all--the tollman's
wife's bairn making a providential escape from Robbie's landing on
all-fours, more than two yards on the far-side of the cradle in which it
was lying asleep, with its little flannel nightgown on.

At the time, all was war and rebellion with the tollman, assault and
battery, damages, broken panes, and what not; but with skilful
management, and a few words in the private ear of Mr Rory Sneckdrawer,
the penny-writer, we got matters southered up when we were in our sober
senses; though I shall not say how much it cost us both in preaching and
pocket, to make the man keep a calm sough as to bringing us in for the
penalty, which would have been deadly. I think black-burning shame of
myself to make mention of such ploys and pliskies; but, after all, it is
better to make a clean breast.

Hame at last we got, making fire flee out of the Dalkeith causey stones
like mad: and we arrived at our own door between nine and ten at night,
still in a half-seas-overish state. I had, nevertheless, sense enough
about me remaining, to make me aware that the best place for me would be
my bed; so, after making Nanse bring the bottle and glass to the door on
a server, to give Peter Farrel a dram by way of "doch-an-dorris," as the
Gaelic folk say, we wished him a good-night, and left him to drive home
the bit gig, with the broken shaft spliced with ropes, to his own bounds;
little jealousing, as we heard next morning, that he would be thrown over
the back of it, without being hurt, by taking too sharp a turn at the
corner.

After a tremendous sound sleep, I was up betimes in the morning, though a
wee drumly about the head, anxious to enquire at Tammie Bodkin, the head
of the business department, me being absent, if any extraordinars had
occurred on the yesterday; and found that the only particular customer
making enquiries anent me was our old friend Cursecowl, savage for the
measure of a killing-coat, which he wanted made as fast as directly.
Though dreadfully angry at finding me from home, and unco swithering at
first, he at length, after a volley of oaths enough to have opened a
stone wall, allowed Tammie Bodkin to take his inches; but, as he swore
and