hland constitution originally, and he accepted the service of
the descendant of the Manly Morrisons, without finding fault with the
rather depreciating manner in which it was offered.

"If he had not had his morning in his head, and been but a
Dumfriesshire hog into the boot, he would have spoken more like a
gentleman. But you cannot have more of a sow than a grumph. It's
shame my father's knife should ever slash a haggis for the like of him."

Thus saying, but saying it in Gaelic, Robin drove on his cattle, and
waved farewell to all behind him. He was in the greater haste, because
he expected to join at Falkirk a comrade and brother in profession,
with whom he proposed to travel in company.

Robin Oig's chosen friend was a young Englishman, Harry Wakefield by
name, well known at every northern market, and in his way as much famed
and honoured as our Highland driver of bullocks. He was nearly six
feet high, gallantly formed to keep the rounds at Sraithfield, or
maintain the ring at a wrestling-match; and although he might have been
over-matched, perhaps, among the regular professors of the fancy, yet,
as a yokel or rustic, or a chance customer, he was able to give a
bellyful to any amateur of the pugilistic art. Doncaster races saw him
in his glory, betting his guinea, and generally successfully; nor was
there a main fought in Yorkshire, the feeders being persons of
celebrity, at which he was not to be seen, if business permitted. But
though a "sprack" lad, and fond of pleasure and its haunts, Harry
Wakefield was steady, and not the cautious Robin Oig M'Combich himself
was more attentive to the main chance. His holidays were holidays
indeed; but his days of work were dedicated to steady and persevering
labour. In countenance and temper, Wakefield was the model of Old
England's merry yeomen, whose cloth-yard shafts, in so many hundred
battles, asserted her superiority over the nations, and whose good
sabres, in our own time, are her cheapest and most assured defence.
His mirth was readily excited; for, strong in limb and constitution,
and fortunate in circumstances, he was disposed to be pleased with
everything about him; and such difficulties as he might occasionally
encounter were, to a man of his energy, rather matter of amusement than
serious annoyance. With all the merits of a sanguine temper, our young
English drover was not without his defects. He was irascible,
sometimes to the verge of being quarrels