13
to near seven pounds sterling. So Tom
having got all their money, he goes on
with them till about three miles out of
town, and coming to a field of standing
corn, tho' somewhat green, yet convenient
for his purpose, as it lay at some distance
from any house; so he made them begin
to work there, telling them he was going
to order dinner for them, and send his
own servants to join them. Then he
sets off with all the speed he could but
took another road into the town lest they
should follow and catch him. Now when
the poeple to whom the corn belonged,
saw such a band in their field they could
not understand the meaning of it; so the
farmer whose corn it was, went off crying
always, as he ran to them, to stop; but
they would not, until he began to strike
at them, and they at him, he being in
a great passion, as the corn was not fully
ripe; at last, by force of argument, and
other people coming up to them, the poor
shearers were convinced they had got the
bite which caused them to go away, sore
lamenting their misfortune.
Two or three days thereafter, as Tom
was going down Canongate in Edinburgh,
he meets one of his shearers, who knew
and kept fast by him, demanded back his
money, and also satisfaction for the rest.
