Peter jealoused I ever had so much in my noddle; but when
he saw I had put him to his mettle, he did his best to give me
satisfactory answers to my queries, saying, that till gold came in
fashion, it would not be for my own interest or that of my family, to
refuse bank-notes, for which he would, any day of the year, give me as
many quarter loaves as I could carry, to say nothing of coarse flour for
the prentices' scones, and bran for the pigs--that the national debt
would take care of itself long after both him and I were gathered to our
fathers: and that individual debt was a much more hazardous, pressing,
and personal concern, far more likely to come home to our more immediate
bosoms and businesses--that the best species of reform was every one's
commencing to make amendment in their own lives and conversations--that
poor rates were likely to be worse before they were better; and that, as
to the Catholic question,--"But, Mansie," said he, "it would give me
great pleasure to hear your candid and judicious opinion of Popery and
the Papists."

I saw, with half an e'e, that Peter was trying to put me to my mettle,
and I devoutly wished that I had had James Batter at my elbow to have
given him play for his money--James being the longest-headed man that
ever drove a shuttle between warp and woof; but most fortunately, just as
I was going to say, that "every honest man, who wished well to the good
of his country, could only have one opinion upon that subject,"--we came
to the by-road, that leads away off on the right-hand side down to
Hawthornden, and we observed, from the curious ringle, that one of the
naig's fore-shoon was loose; which consequently put an end to the
discussion of this important national question, before Peter and I had
time to get it comfortably settled to the world's satisfaction.

The upshot was, that we were needcessitated to dismount, and lead the
animal by the head forward to Kittlerig, where Macturk Sparrible keeps
his smith's shop; in order that, with his hammer, he might make fast the
loose nails: and that him and his foresman did in a couple of hurries; me
and Peter looking over them with our hands in our big-coat pockets, while
they pelt-pelted away with the beast's foot between their knees, as if we
had been a couple of grand gentlemen incog.; and so we were to him.

After getting ourselves again decently mounted, and giving Sparrible a
consideration for his trouble, Peter took occasion, from