Page:Comical tricks of Lothian Tom (1).pdf/17



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Tom then slips out and takes up the shoe and runs across the fields, until he got before the Butcher, at another open of a hedge, about half a mile distant, and throws out the shoe again on the middle of the road; then up comes the Butcher and seeing it, says to himself; now I shall have a pair of good shoes for the lifting; and down he comes, lays the calf on the ground, and tying his horse to the hedge, runs back thinking to get the other shoe, in which time, Tom whips up the calf and shoe, and home he comes demanding his wager, which his master could not refuse, being so fairly won. The poor Butcher, not finding the shoe, came back to his horse, and mising the calf, knew not what to do; but thinking it had broke the rope from about its feet, and had run into the fields, the Butcher spent the day in search of it, amongst the hedges and ditches, and returned to Tom's master's all night, intending to go in search again for it next day; and gave them a tedious relation how he came to lose it by a cursed pair of shoes, which he believed the devil had dropped in his way, and taken the calf and shoes along with him; but he was thankful he had left his old horse to carry him home. Next morning Tom set to work, and makes a fine white face