Page:Comical tricks of Lothian Tom (6).pdf/11

 told her that her son brought in the measure the day before, and had got a guinea and a half from him, with which he said he was to buy some necessaries for the funeral. O the rogue! said she, has he played me that? So the wright got his lent money, and so much for his trouble, and had to take back his coffin with him again.

Tom being short of money, began to think how he could raise a fresh supply; so he went to the port among the shearers, and there he hired about thirty of them, and agreed to give them a whole week's shearing at tenpence a-day, which was twopence higher than any had got that year; this made the poor shearers think he was a very honest, generous, and genteel master as ever they met with; for he took them all into an ale-house, and gave them a hearty breakfast. Now, says Tom, when there is so many of you together, and perhaps from very different parts, and being unacquainted with one another, I do not know but there may be some of you honest men and some of you rogues, and as you are all to lie in one barn together, any of you who has got money, you will 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 night when you