character, I wonder he has any
protection and encouragement on this coast.'

'Why, Mr. Mannering, people must have brandy and tea, and there's none in
the country but what comes this way; and then there's short accounts, and
maybe a keg or two, or a dozen pounds, left at your stable-door, instead
of a d--d lang account at Christmas from Duncan Robb, the grocer at
Kippletringan, who has aye a sum to make up, and either wants ready money
or a short-dated bill. Now, Hatteraick will take wood, or he'll take
bark, or he'll take barley, or he'll take just what's convenient at the
time. I'll tell you a gude story about that. There was ance a
laird--that's Macfie of Gudgeonford,--he had a great number of kain
hens--that's hens that the tenant pays to the landlord, like a sort of
rent in kind. They aye feed mine very ill; Luckie Finniston sent up three
that were a shame to be seen only last week, and yet she has twelve bows
sowing of victual; indeed her goodman, Duncan Finniston--that's him
that's gone--(we must all die, Mr. Mannering, that's ower true)--and,
speaking of that, let us live in the meanwhile, for here's breakfast on
the table, and the Dominie ready to say the grace.'

The Dominie did accordingly pronounce a benediction, that exceeded in
length any speech which Mannering had yet heard him utter. The tea, which
of course belonged to the noble Captain Hatteraick's trade, was
pronounced excellent. Still Mannering hinted, though with due delicacy,
at the risk of encouraging such desperate characters. 'Were it but in
justice to the revenue, I should have supposed--'

'Ah, the revenue lads'--for Mr. Bertram never embraced a general or
abstract idea, and his notion of the revenue was personified in the
commissioners, surveyors, comptrollers, and riding officers whom he
happened to know--'the revenue lads can look sharp eneugh out for
themselves, no ane needs to help them; and they have a' the soldiers to
assist them besides; and as to justice--you 'll be surprised to hear it,
Mr. Mannering, but I am not a justice of peace!'

Mannering assumed the expected look of surprise, but thought within
himself that the worshipful bench suffered no great deprivation from
wanting the assistance of his good-humoured landlord. Mr. Bertram had now
hit upon one of the few subjects on which he felt sore, and went on with
some energy.

'No, sir, the name of Godfrey Bertram of Ellangowan is not in the last
commission, though there's scar