19 quo' Janet, "Whaur wad I get it when there's no a plack in the house and as for takin'nt on, yo ken that's elean ooto' the question, so ye maun just lie still and thole the best way ye can." ""Oh, Janet," cries Habbie again, “You're no amiss at scheming- there nae way ava ye can think on to raise the wind !" "I'll tell ye what I'll do," quo' Janet, “I'll awa' to the Laird o' Johnstone, and I'll tell him that ye're deid, and as you're a great favourite o' his, I'm sure I'll get something frae him to help tae bury ya." "Od, but that will do grand," quo' Habbie. Sae up Janet gets and awa' tae the laird's house, when, ring- ing the bell, the door was opened by the lady, who, seeing Janet so pitiful looking, she says" Keep us a' this day, is there onything wrang at hame that yo hae come here sae early in the morning ?” “Wrang," quo Janet, dichtin' her een wi' the tail o'her apron, A's wrang thegither, my leddy. Isna oor Habbie deid !" "Habbie deid!" quo' the lady in surprise. "A-weel-wat is he, my leddy," quo' Janet, "and a sair trial it is to me, my leddy; for there's no as muckle in the house, this morning, as would feed a sparrow; and whaur to get onything I'm sure I dinna ken. Oh, dear! oh, dear! that ever I should come to this Compose yourself," quo' the leddy," And come your wa's ben, and we'se see what can be done. See, in gangs Janet wi' the lady, and gets a basket wi' some biseuits and speerits, and ither articles needfu' for sie an oecasion; and thanking the lady for her kindness, comes awa' hame to Habbie fu' blythely, when doon they sat, nor did they rise till they made an end o' the contents o' the basket. Noo, as the auld sang says, the mair ye drink tho drier ye turn, for they were nae sooner dune than Habbie says-“ Losh, Janet, that's real guid; can yo no get some mair o't?” “Na, na," quo' Janet, “I hae played my turn already; it's your turn noo." "Oh, very weel," quo' Habbie," If it's my turn noo, yo maun jist be deid next.” “'Ods, I ha'e nae ob- jections," quo' she, " sae awa' ye gang, and let's see What ye can do." Weel, awa' gangs Habbie, and
