One day,
as he was ranging among the scraggy knowes
that skirted the sides of a deep, wild glen, an unexpected little
curling cloud of smoke, which seemed to slip out as
if by accident from under the fringed bow of a large bush of
heather, caught his eye, and, acting like magic on his
enraptured senses, directed him, with hurried steps, to the
secret spot, where, pushing aside the heaths, and, plunging
into the artful concealment, the reckless
gauger surprised poor Donald in the very midst of his pots,
still and and all.
A momentary
silence ensued, as if either party, from the suddenness of their
meeting, had felt uncertain whether it became his individual
part to act on the offensive or defensive, The pause, however,
was short, when the sturdy man of “mountain dew“
seemed all at once to recollect himself and, stealing first
a look at the door.
and then fixing a stern eye on the intruder, whispered:
“Nobody,
I'm sure, saw you coming in, which means, I'm sure that nobody
is expecting you to leave.“ As he spoke he began to add
actions to his words.
It was enougb
said, as the excise officer, took the hint and ran off as fast
as his his feet could carry him.