able to eat his own butter, and his own beef, too."

"God send it, sir."

"Well, Barny, I didn't hear from your brother Ned these two or three
months; what has become of him?"

"Ah, yer Reverence, Pentland done him up."

"What! the gauger?"

"He did, the thief; but maybe he'll sup sorrow for it, afore he's much
oulder."

"And who do you think informed, Barny?"

"Oh, I only wish we knew that, sir."

"I wish I knew it, and if I thought any miscreant here would become an
informer, I'd make an example of him. Well, Barny, on Friday next: but I
suppose Ned has a drop still--eh, Barny?"

"Why, sir, we'll be apt to have something stronger nor wather, anyhow."

"Very well, Barny; your family was always a dacent and spirited family,
I'll say that for them; but, tell me, Barny, did you begin to dam the
river yet? * I think the trouts and eels are running by this time."

* It is usual among the peasantry to form, about
Michaelmas, small artificial cascades, called dams,