At the request of Brown for some food, the landlady wiped with her mealy apron one corner of the deal table, placed a wooden trencher and knife and fork before the traveller, pointed to the round of beef, recommended Mr. Dinmont’s good example, and finally filled a brown pitcher with her home-brewed.  Brown lost no time in doing ample credit to both.  For a while his opposite neighbour and he were too busy to take much notice of each other, except by a good-humoured nod as each in turn raised the tankard to his head.  At length, when our pedestrian began to supply the wants of little Wasp, the Scotch store-farmer, for such was Mr. Dinmont, found himself at leisure to enter into conversation.

’A bonny terrier that, sir, and a fell chield at the vermin, I warrant him; that is, if he’s been weel entered, for it a’ lies in that.’

‘Really, sir,’ said Brown, ’his education has been somewhat neglected, and his chief property is being a pleasant companion.’

’Ay, sir? that’s a pity, begging your pardon, it’s a great pity that; beast or body, education should aye be minded.  I have six terriers at hame, forbye twa couple of slow-hunds, five grews, and a wheen other dogs.  There’s auld Pepper and auld Mustard, and young Pepper and young Mustard, and little Pepper and little Mustard.  I had them a’ regularly entered, first wi’ rottens, then wi’ stots or weasels, and then wi’ the tods and brocks, and now they fear naething that ever cam wi’ a hairy skin on’t.’

’I have no doubt, sir, they are thoroughbred; but, to have so many dogs, you seem to have a very limited variety of names for them?’

’O, that’s a fancy of my ain to mark the breed, sir.  The Deuke himsell has sent as far as Charlie’s Hope to get ane o’ Dandy Dinmont’s Pepper and Mustard terriers.  Lord, man, he sent Tam Hudson [Footnote:  The real name of this veteran sportsman is now restored.] the keeper, and sicken a day as we had wi’ the foumarts and the tods, and sicken a blythe gae-down as we had again e’en!  Faith, that was a night!’

‘I suppose game is very plenty with you?’

’Plenty, man!  I believe there’s mair hares than sheep on my farm; and for the moor-fowl or the grey-fowl, they lie as thick as doos in a dookit.  Did ye ever shoot a blackcock, man?’

’Really I had never even the pleasure to see one, except in the museum at Keswick.’

’There now!  I could guess that by your Southland tongue.  It’s very odd of these English folk that come here, how few of them has seen a blackcock!  I’ll tell you what—­ye seem to be an honest lad, and if you’ll call on me, on Dandy Dinmont, at Charlie’s Hope, ye shall see a blackcock, and shoot a blackcock, and eat a blackcock too, man.’

’Why, the proof of the matter is the eating, to be sure, sir; and I shall be happy if I can find time to accept your invitation.’

‘Time, man? what ails ye to gae hame wi’ me the now?  How d’ ye travel?’