it would not, he perceived, tally very well with
the enormous breeches which the gentleman he had met with wore, and
which he had seen from a distance others wearing, knowing, as he did
very well, that the national dress of the Highlanders was the kilt, of
which the trousers in question were the very antipodes. There was
another circumstance, too, that appeared to Johnny at variance with his
first conjecture, namely, that he might have got into the Highlands.
Where he was there were no high lands, not an eminence the height of a
mole-hill. On the contrary, the whole country, as far as his eye could
reach, seemed one vast plain. Though greatly puzzled by these
reflections, Johnny jogged on, and his progress at length brought him to
a respectable-looking farm-house.

"'Od," said Johnny, "I'll surely get a mouthfu' o' sense frae somebody
here, an' fin' out whar I am."

In this Johnny certainly did succeed; but not much to his comfort, as
the sequel will show. The first person he addressed, on approaching the
house, was a little girl, who, when he spoke, stared at him in the
greatest amazement, then rushed screaming into the house. This
proceeding brought out several young men and women, to whom Johnny now
addressed himself; but the only answer he obtained was a stare of
astonishment similar to the child's, and then a general burst of
laughter. At length one of the girls went into the house and brought out
a jolly-looking elderly man, who, from certain parts of his dress,
seemed to be in the seafaring way.

"Vell, mine freend, vat you vant?" said this person, who spoke broken
English--"vere you come from?"

"I cam last frae Alloa," said Johnny, "and I want to ken, sir, if I'm
onything near to Brechin?"

"Preekin! Vere dat?"

"'Od, I thocht everbody in Scotland kent that," said Johnny, smiling.

"Ah! maybe Scotlan', mine freend, but no Hollands," replied he of the
broken English.

"I dinna ken whether they ken't it in Holland or no," said Johnny,
"that's a country I'm no in the least acquaint wi'; but I'm sure it's
weel aneuch kent in Scotland."

"Ah! maybe Scotlan', but no Hollands, my freend," repeated the man,
smiling in his turn; "but you vas in Hollands."

"Never in my life," said Johnny, earnestly.

"No, no," replied the man, impatiently, "you vas no in Hollands--but you
vas in Hollands."

Johnny could make nothing of this; but it was soon cleared up by the
person adding, "You vas in Hollands _now_--dis