Scotland/Scots > Wilson's tales of the Borders and of Scotland > Volume 3

232
TALES OF THE BORDERS.
breakfasted together, ■ and, immediately after, set out to¬
gether for Edinburgh—M‘Lauchlane delighted with the
kindness and rattling off-hand glee of his companion, who
seemed, to his unsuspicious and unsophisticated nature,
one of the best and merriest fellows he had ever met with.
In place, however, of showing an anxiety to prosecute the
journey with the expedition natural to those seeking a
distant destination, M'Lauchlane’s companion seemed bent
on living by the way. Every mile, and often within
shorter distances, he insisted on his young friend’s taking
some refreshment with him. He would, in truth, scarcely
pass a single public-house on the road; but he paid, in
every instance, for the entertainment to which he invited
his companion. Two consequences resulted from this
manner of proceeding. These were—young M‘Lauchlane’s
getting, for the first time in his life, somewhat intoxicated;
and the expiry of the day, before they had completed
their journey that comprehended the distance between
Stirling and Edinburgh. The shades of evening were
thus just beginning to gather, as the travellers reached
a small village about six or seven miles from Edinburgh;
and it had become pretty dark by the time they had got
midway between the two places just named. At this
particular locality, young M'Lauchlane and his companion
passed a well-dressed, respectable-looking, elderly man, on
the road, who was going in the same direction with them¬
selves. On having gone beyond him, about the distance of
a hundred yards or so, the Irishman suddenly stopped, and
addressing his young friend, said—
“ I owe that old rascal that we passed just now, a grudge,
and have a good mind to go back and give him a taste of
this twig, by way of recompense”—shaking a stout cudgel
that he carried in his hand. “Will you lend me a
hand?”
Stupefied, or rather, perhaps, distracted with the drink