Page:Comical transactions of Lothian Tom (1).pdf/13



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but there may be ſome of you honeſt men, and ſome of you rogues; and as you are to lie all in one barn together, any of you who has any money, you'll be ſureſt to give it to me, and I'll mark it down in my book with your names, and what I receive from each of you, and you ſhall have it all again on Saturday's night, when you get your wages. O! very well, goodman, take mine, take mine, every one faſter than another; ſome gave him five, ſix, ſeven, and eight ſhillings, even all they had earned thro' the harveſt, which amounted to near ſeven pounds Sterling. Having get all their money, he goes on with them, till about three miles out of the town, and coming to a great field of ſtanding corn, tho' ſome-what green, yet convenient for his purpoſe, as it lay at ſome diſtance from any houſe or perſon. So he made them begin there, telling them he was going to order dinner for them, and ſend his own ſervants to join them: Away he goes with all the ſpeed he could, but takes another road into the town, left they ſhould follow and catch him. Now, when the people to whom the corn belonged, ſaw ſuch a band in their field, they could not underſtand the meaning of it; ſo the farmer, whoſe corn it was, went off, crying always