on you lads, an' see Sandy Bowden's drumadairy. By crivens, he's gotten a richt horse for Donal', noo." 

 Sandy didna come up frae the stable till near-hand eleven o'clock, an' I didna say ony mair aboot his braw horse. I've heard the minister say, it's the unexpectit that happens. That's aye the way wi' Sandy, I can tell you. I aye expect that something will happen wi' him that I'm no' expectin'; so I find it best juist to lat him aleen. 

 Next mornin' he gaed awa' gey early to get yokit, an' he took Bandy Wobster wi' him to gi'e him a hand. It was twa strucken 'oors afore he got to the shop door wi' the cairt, an' baith him an' the horse were sweitin' afore they startit on his roonds. Sandy was lookin' gey raised like, so I lut him get on a' his tatties an' said naething. 

 Stumpie Mertin cam' by, an', lookin' at Princie, gae his heid a claw. 

 "What are ye stanin' glowerin' at?" says Sandy till him, gey snappit like. 

 "Whaur did ye get that hunger'd-lookin' radger, Sandy?" says he.  "That beast's no' fit for gaen aboot. The Cruelty to Animals 'ill nip you, as shure's you're a livin' man." 

 "Tak' care 'at they dinna nip you, for haein' a wid leg," says Sandy, as raised as a wasp.  "Awa' oot o' that, an' mind your ain bisness." 

 "That's been stealt oot ahent some menagerie caravan," says Stumpie; an' awa' he gaed dilpin' like's he'd made a grand joke. 

 The policeman cam' doon an' settled himsel' aboot ten yairds awa' frae Princie, put his hands ahent his back, set forrit his heid like's he was gaen awa' to putt somebody, an' took a lang look at him.  "That's a clinker, Sandy," says he.  "That billie 'ill cover the grund." 

 I didna ken whether the bobbie meant rinnin' ower the grund, or coverin't efter he was turned into gooana or bane-dust; but I saw the lauch in his sleeve a' the same. 

 Gairner Winton cam' doon the street at the same time, an' the bobby an' him startit to remark aboot Sandy's horse. 

 "A gude beast, nae doot," says the Gairner; "but Sandy's been gey lang o' buyin' him.' 

 "He's bocht him gey sune, I'm thinking," says the policeman.  "Gin he'd waited a fortnicht, he'd gotten him at twintypence the hunderwecht." 

 

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