Page:History of John Cheap the chapman (2).pdf/9

 we drank towards her cow's good health and her own, not forgetting her husband's and the bull's, as the one was the goodman of the house, and the other of the byre. And away we came in all haste, lest some of a more understanding nature should come to hear of it, and follow after us.

In a few days thereafter we came to an ale-house in a muir, far distant from any other. It being a sore day of wind and rain, we could not travel, was obliged to stay there. But the house being very throng, we could get no bed but the servant lasses, which we was to have for a pennyworth of pins and needles; and she was to lie with her master and mistress. But as we were going to bed, in comes three Highland drovers on their way home from England. The landlord told them that the beds were all taken up but one, that two chapmen were to lie in. One of them swore, his broad sword would fail him, if a chapman lay there that night. They took our bed, and made us sit by the fire all night. I put on a great many peats, and when the drovers were fast asleep, I put on a big brass pan full of water, and boiled their brogs therein for the space of half an hour, then lays them as they were, every pair by themselves; so when they rose, every one began to chide another, saying, Hup pup, ye sheing a brog: for not one of them would serve a child of ten years old, being so boiled in The landlord persuaded them that their feet were swelled with the hard travelling, being so wet the last night, and they would go on well enough if they had travelled a mile or two. Now the Highlandmen laugh'd at me the night before, when they lay down in the bed I was to have; but I laugh'd as much to see them all three trot away in the morning, with their broil'd brogs in their hands.