Page:History and comical transactions of Lothian Tom (2).pdf/11

[ 13 ] good ſhoes for the lifting; 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 caſ n ſhoe, and home he goes demanding his ager, which his maſter could not deny, being fairly won.

The poor butcher turned back to his horſe, got only his travel for his pains; ſo miſſin his calf, he knew not what o ſay or do, but thinking it had broke the rope from about its feet, and had run into the fields the butcher ſpent that day in ſearch of it, amongſt the hedges and ditches and ſo returned to Tom's maſter's all night, intending to go and ſearch further for it next day, giving them a tedious relation how he came to loſe it by a curſed pair of ſhoes, which he believed the devil threw in the way, and how he had taken the calf an all along with him, expreſſing his thankfulneſs, that the devil had been ſo honeſt as o ſpare his old horſe, when he ſtole away the calf. Next morning, Tom went to work and makes a fine white face on the calf with chalk and water, then brings it out, and ſold it to the butcher, which was good diverſion to his maſter and the other ſervants, to ſee the butcher, buy his own calf again. No ſooner was he gone with it, but Tom ſays, now maſter what ill you hole, but il ſteal it again from him before he goes two miles off? No, no, ſays his maſter, but I'll give ou n ſhilling if you do it none ſays Tom, it ſhall coſt you no more; and awry, he runs a foot, through the fields, until he came in before the butches, hard by the place where he ſtole the c lf the day before; and there he lies behind the hedge, and as the butcher came paſt he put his h nos in his mouth, and cries, baw, baw, like a calf, the butcher hearing this, ſwears to himſelf, that there was the calf he had loſt the day before: down he comes, and throws the calf on the ground, gets in