Murders > Tales for the farmers' ingle-neuk

15
one hour a-week during' the summer. But then
their fathers must unite in setting them to work;
and there is not one in the Glen who would not
sooner have his horses lamed, and his carts torn
to pieces, than have his son employed in a work
that would benefit his neighbours as much as
himseif!”
At the foot of a short precipice, the road again
made a sudden turn, and discovered to them a
misfortune which threatened to put a stop to their
proceeding any further, for the present evening.
It was no other than the overturn of a cart of
hay, occasioned by the breaking down of a bridge,
along which it had been passing.
At first indeed, neither boy nor horse were
seen ; but as Mr Stewart advanced to examine
whether, by removing the hay, which partly
covered the bridge, and partly hung suspended
on the bushes, the road might still be passable,
he heard a child’s voice in the hollow, exclaiming,
“ Come on, ye muckle brute! ye had as weel
come on ! I’ll gar ye! I’ll gar ye ! That’s a
gude beast now; come nwa ! That’s it! Ay,
ye’re a gude beast now.”
As the last 'A ords were uttered, a little fellow,
of about ten years of age, was seen issuing from
' a hollow, and pulling after him, with all his might,
a great long-backed clumsy animal of the horse
species, though apparently of a very mulish
temper.
“You have met with a sad accident,” said
Mr Stewart, “ how did all this happen ?”