Page:Lindigo.djvu/56

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56
LINDIGO.

or my nose; as if the prisoner complained of the maltreatment of his nasal organ; to which they answered, "Ciod as mo viru do shron, na do thou" (what care we for your nose or nether end), and applying their toes unmercifully to that delicate part at the same time.

The unfortunate prisoner now roared out—"Am no 'xiseman, 'am his Lodship's walot!" when the last words were interpreted by them for, Na loisg a whaleid—"Don't burn the wallet"—imagining that he appeared like a wallet while in the sack, and dreading they might throw him into the fire.

This was answered by "Cha loisgsinse a whaleid aeh bogaidh sinse i" (We shan't burn the wallet; but we'll soak her.)

This last interpretation brought a fit of laughter from Munro, who was peeping through a hole at the amusing scene, and which betrayed his ambush. He soon came to the unlucky valet's rescue, and saved him from a thorough ducking, which his gaolers were on the eve of putting into execution.

On being liberated from his uncomfortable imprisonment, Brown gave vent to a storm of abuse and threats of informing against the smugglers, which, if they understood, would have inevitably tempted them to put in force the unpleasant process of ducking him, notwithstanding Munro's intervention. This fact the latter hinted to the enraged valet, which, for his own safety, silenced him at once, and order was soon restored between the belligerents, through the able mediation of the piper.

A copious supply of the different drinkables which the brews contained was served round, soon changing the offensive propensities of the parties into that of cordiality and good fellowship; and to crown the amnesty and hilarity, Munro played several lively airs on his pipes, to which the smugglers danced with right goodwill, and pressed Brown to join, in order to make up a reel of four, the gloomy dell resounding with their merry exclamations.

Whether it was owing to his heavy potations of drinks before now strange to him, or that some charm was connected with his wild and novel situation, we cannot say, the valet never felt himself so elated or prone to uncon-