s. He
was no slinger or flinger, but brandished in his right hand the spoke of
a cart-wheel, like my countryman Tom Hickathrift of old in his encounter
with the giant of the Lincolnshire fen. Protected by a piece of wicker-
work attached to his left arm, he rushed on to the fray, disregarding the
stones which were showered against him, and was ably seconded by his
followers. Our own party was chased half-way up the hill, where I was
struck to the ground by the baker, after having been foiled in an attempt
which I had made to fling a handful of earth into his eyes. All now
appeared lost, the Auld Toon was in full retreat. I myself lay at the
baker's feet, who had just raised his spoke, probably to give me the
_coup de grace_,--it was an awful moment. Just then I heard a shout and
a rushing sound; a wild-looking figure is descending the hill with
terrible bounds; it is a lad of some fifteen years; he is bare-headed,
and his red uncombed hair stands on end like hedgehogs' bristles: his
frame is lithy, like that of an antelope, but he has prodigious breadth
of chest; he wears a military undress, that of the regiment, even of a
drummer, for it is wild Davy, whom a month before I had seen enlisted on
Leith Links to serve King George with drum and drumstick as long as his
services might be required, and who, ere a week had elapsed, had smitten
with his fist Drum-Major Elzigood, who, incensed at his inaptitude, had
threatened him with his cane; he has been in confinement for weeks, this
is the first day of his liberation, and he is now descending the hill
with horrid bounds and shoutings; he is now about five yards distant, and
the baker, who apprehends that something dangerous is at hand, prepares
himself for the encounter; but what avails the strength of a baker, even
full grown?--what avails the defence of a wicker shield?--what avails the
wheel-spoke, should there be an opportunity of using it, against the
impetus of an avalanche or a cannon-ball?--for to either of these might
that wild figure be compared, which, at the distance of five yards,
sprang at once with head, hands, feet and body, all together, upon the
champion of the New Town, tumbling him to the earth amain. And now it
was the turn of the Old Town to triumph. Our late discomfited host,
returning on its steps, overwhelmed the fallen champion with blows of
every kind, and then, led on by his vanquisher, who had assumed his arms,
namely, the wheel-spoke and