3
Shocked at the circumstance not merely of a ⟨parcel⟩ of boys being so employed on a Sunday ⟨evening⟩, but at that effrontery, which, unmoved, ⟨could⟩ be guilty of such a practice, in the immediate ⟨neighbourhood⟩ of a town, and in the presence of ⟨a⟩ person actually passing at the time; and having ⟨been⟩ long a convert to the axiom, that "It is ⟨better⟩ to prevent crimes than to punish them," I ⟨felt⟩ a strong inclination to exert myself on this ⟨occasion⟩, in order to check such early blossoms of ⟨wickedness⟩ in the bud.
Just as I arrived, one of the lads, whose name ⟨I⟩ afterwards learned was David Doubtful, ⟨was⟩ expressing his fears that the strange ⟨gentleman⟩, as he was pleased to call me, might have ⟨noticed⟩ them, and had gone to give information to ⟨the⟩ proprietor of the field; for, added he "I saw ⟨him⟩ gang rather faster after he was past, and now ⟨he’s⟩ out o’ sight.—I think we had better be awa’ ⟨wi’⟩ what we hae got, for farther on and we may ⟨fare⟩ warse." Will Candid, one of his ⟨companions⟩, gave it as his opinion, that it was very ⟨possible⟩ the gentleman might have seen them, for ⟨he⟩ was obliged to caution both Bragwell and ⟨Careless⟩ not to speak so loud, at the very time ⟨he⟩ was looking that way; at the same time ⟨observed⟩ he, "I dinna think there is ony danger, ⟨for⟩ he went on without takin’ muckle notice." John Careless observed, that "he didna care ⟨for⟩ his part whether he saw them or no,—the beans ⟨were⟩ nane o’ his,—an', at ony rate, he cau’dna ⟨weel⟩ ken them at sic a distance, for it was getting ⟨darkish⟩," and a very good time, he thought, to get ⟨his⟩ pockets well filled.
