jumping
aside, he lichted on a shelf before ane could say Jock Robinson. Here
he rowed up the note like a baw in his hand, and put it into his coat
pouch like any rational cratur. Not only this, but he mockit the
Heelandman by a' manner of means, shooting out his tongue at him,
spitting at him, and girning at him wi' his queer outlandish
physiognomy. Then he would tak haud of his tail in his twa hands, and
wag it at Donald, and steeking his nieves, he would seem to threaten
him wi' a leatherin'. A'thegither he was desperate impudent, and
eneuch to try the patience of a saunt, no to spak o' a het-bluided
Heelandman. It was gude for sair een to see how Donald behavit on this
occasion. He raged like ane demented, misca'ing the monkey beyond
measure, and swearing as mony Gaelic aiths as micht hae sair'd an
ordinar man for a twalmonth. During this time, I never sterr'd a foot,
but keepit keeking frae the back shop upon a' that was ganging on. I
was highly delighted; and jealousing that Nosey was ower supple to be
easily catched, I had nae apprehension for the event, and remained
snug in my birth to see the upshot.

In a short time, in comes Mr. Weft wi' a piece of lowing paper in his
hand that he had got frae the next door to licht the shop; and nae
sooner did Donald see him than he ax'd him for his note.

"What note, honest man?" said Mr. Weft.

"Got tamn," quo' Donald; "the note the auld scounrel, your
grandfather, stole frae me."

"My grandfaither!" answered the ither wi' amazement. "I am thinking,
honest man, ye hae had a glass ower muckle. My grandfaither has been
dead for saxteen years, and I ne'er heard tell till now that he was a
fief."

"Weel, weel, then," quo' the Heelandman, "I don't care naething about
it. If he's no your grandfaither, he'll be your faither, or your
brither, or your cousin."

"My faither or my brither, or my cousin!" repeated Mr. Weft. "I maun
tell ye plainly, frien', that I hae neither faither, nor brither, nor
cousin of ony description on this side of the grave. I dinna
understand ye, honest man, but I reckon that ye hae sat ower lang at
the whisky, and my advice to ye is to stap awa hame and sleep it aff."

At this speech the Heelandman lost a' patience, and lookit sae awfully
fairce, that ance or twice I was on the nick of coming forrit, and
explaining how matters really stood; but curiosity keepit me chained
to the back shop, and I just thocht I would bide a wee, and see how
the a