Page:Tales of my landlord (Volume 3).djvu/206

 if that isna hiring, I kenna what is. Ye gae me nae arles, indeed, but ye had gi'en me aneugh before at Milnwood."

"Well, Cuddie, if you insist on taking the chance of my unprosperous fortunes"—

"Ou ay, I'se warrant us a' prosper weel aneugh," answered Cuddie, cheeringly, "an' anes my auld mither was weel putten up. I hae begun the campaigning trade at an end that is easy aneugh to learn."

"Pillaging, I suppose," said Morton, "for how else could you come by that portmanteau?"

"I wotna if it's pillaging, or how ye ca't," said Cuddie, "but it comes natural to a body, and it's a profitable trade. Our folk had tirled the dead dragoons as bare as bawbees before we were loose amaist—But when I saw the whigs a' weel yokit by the lugs to Kettledrummle and the other chield, I set aff at the lang trot on my ain errand and your honour's. Sae I took up the syke a wee bit, away to the right, where I saw the marks o' mony a