Page:History and comical transactions of Lothian Tom (6).pdf/12

 12 ſays he, when there is ſo many of you to- gether, perhaps from different parts, and 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 to lie all in one barn together, any of you who has any money, you'll be fureſt 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 fail 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 ano- ther: ſome gave him five, fix, feven, and eight ſhillings; even all they had earned thro' the harveſt, which amounted to near ſeven pounds ſterling. Having go all their money, he goes on with them till about three miles out of town, and coming to a great field of ſtanding corn, though ſome thing green, yet convenient for his purpose, as it lay at ſome diſtance from any houses; So be made them begin there and told then he was going to order dinner for them, and feud two of his own ſervants to join them. Then away he goes with all the ſpeed he could, but takes another road into the town, left they should follow and catch him.- In a ſhort tine after they began to work, the people to whom the corn belonged ſeeing ſuch a band in their field, could not under