Page:Comical transactions of Lothian Tom (3).pdf/14

14 their field, they could not understand the meaning of it; so the farmer, whose corn it was, went off, crying always as he ran, to them to stop; but they would not, until he began to strike at them and they at him he being in a great passion, as the corn was not fully ripe; at last, by force of argument and other people coming up to his assistance, the poor shearers, were convinced they had got the Site, which caused them to go away lamenting their misfortune. In two or three days after, as Tom was going down the Canongate, he meets one of his shearers, who knew him, and kept fast by him, demanding his money, and satisfaction for the rest: Whist, whist, says Tom,' and you'll get yours and something else beside.'--So Tom takes him into the jail, and calls for a bottle of ale and a dram and taking the jailor aside, as if he was going to borrow the money from him, he says This man is a great thief, I and two others were in search of him three days, and the other men have the warrant with them, so if you keep the rogue till I run & bring them, you shall have a guinea in reward.' Yes,' said he, go and I'll fix him.' So Tom got off, leaving the man and the jail. or struggling together, & goes to England.