Page:History of James Allan.pdf/16

 a water-tub. Allan allowed the fiddlers to rise before him in the morning, when diligent search was made for their instruments. Allan entered the kitchen, crying out, “O, the rogues, they have got my pipes!” Every one believed they were stolen, till one of the servants discovered the fiddles in the water, quite spoiled. Allan hastened to the spot, and said, “Ah, the loons, they have thrown my pipes in also; whoever has done this deserves to be hanged.” The poor fiddlers being disconcerted, slunk away, while Allan, who had taken the reeds from his pipes, gained the whole profit.

Allan having been concerned in a sheep-stealing affair with a foreign Gipsy, who had lately joined the gang, was obliged to fly for fear of consequences, and he arrived at Berwick without a penny. In this state of destitution he had recourse to his old mode of replenishing his finances, by enlisting with a spruce young sergeant. The sergeant, when told he had a slippery eel to hold, replied with contempt, “If he be the devil himself, instead of a wandering piper, he shall not escape me.” After Allan had received his bounty, he ordered him to be strictly watched; but Allan appeared so cheerful and happy as threw them quite off their guard. The sergeant and corporal readly consented to enjoy themselves over a pot from his bounty-money. Allan having called in a fiddler, proposed a threesome reel, and whilst setting to the sergeant, discharged a handful of Scotch snuff in his face, which blinded and nearly suffocated him,—and turning quickly round to the corporal, served him in the same manner, and instantly darting out of the room, accomplished his escape. Allan bent his course towards Rothbury, and dispatching a Gipsy lad for his pipes, he continued at Holystone until his return, and then travelled to Hexham, where, being short of cash, with his usual audacity, he enlisted, and slipped off after receiving half of his bounty. Another recruiting sergeant, named Hay, followed in pursuit, and suceeded in securing him: they watched him strictly and next day lodged him in the guard-house at Newcastle. Allan finding himself among strangers, lulled their suspicions by his good humoured jokes, and spending his money freely. At length, finding a favourable opportunity, he darted out of the guard-house, and away. The first use he made of his liberty was to recover his pipes, and then determined to leave the country. But, hearing that his