muirs to see what the herds had been about, and I thought I might as weel gie a look to the Tout-hope head, where Jock o' Dawstone and me has the outcast about a march—Weel, just as I was coming upon the bit, I saw a man afore me that I kend was nane o' our herds, and it's a wild bit to meet ony other body, so when I came up to him it was Tod Gabriel the fox-hunter. So I says to him, rather surprised like, 'What are ye doing up amang the craws here, without your hounds, man? are ye seeking the fox without the dogs?' So he said, 'Na, gudeman, but I wanted to see yoursel.'
"'Aye,' said I, 'and ye'll be wanting eilding now, or something to pitt ower the winter?'
"'Na, na,' quo' he, 'it's no that I'm seeking; but ye tak an unco interest in that Captain Brown that was staying wi' you, d'ye no?'
"'Troth do I, Gabriel,' says I; 'and what about him, lad?'
