Tom being now turned to his own shifts, considered with himself
how to raise a little more money; and so gets a string as near as
he could guess to be the length of his mother, and to Edinburgh he
goes, to a wright who was acquainted with his father and mother.
The wright asked him how he did; he answered him, very soberly, he
had lost a good dutiful mother last night, and there’s a measure
for the coffin. Tom went out and staid for some time, and then
comes in again, and tells the wright he did not know what to do,
for his father had ordered him to get money from such a man, whom
he named, and he that day was gone out of town.--The wright asked
him how much he wanted? To which he answered a guinea and a half.
Then Tom gave him strict orders to be out next day against eleven
o’clock with the coffin, and he should get his money altogether.
So Tom set off to an ale-house with the money, and lived well
while it lasted. Next morning the wright and his two lads went out
with the coffin; and as they were going into the house they met
Tom’s mother, who asked the master how he did, and where he was
going with that fine coffin? not knowing well what to say, being
surprised to see her alive, at last he told her, that her son
brought in the measure the day before, and had got a guinea and a
half from him, with which he said he was to buy some necessaries
for the funeral. O the rogue! said she, has he play’d me that? So
the wright got his lent money, and so much for his trouble, and had
to take back his coffin with him again.
Tom being short of money, began to think how he could raise a fresh
supply; so he went to the port among the shearers, and there he
hired about thirty of them, and agreed to give them a whole week’s
shearing at ten-pence a-day which was two-pence higher than any
had got that year; this made the poor shearers think he was a very
honest generous and genteel master, as ever they met with; for he
took them all into an ale-house, and gave them a hearty breakfast.
Now says Tom when there is so many of you together, and perhaps
from very different parts, and being unacquainted with one another
I do not know but there may be some of you honest men and some of
you rogues; and as you are all to lie in one barn together, any
of you who has got money, you will be surest to give it to me and
I’ll mark it down in my book, with your names, and what I receive
from each of you, and you shall have it all again on Saturday
night when you receive your wages. O! very well goodman, there’s
mine, take mine said every one faster than another. Some gave him
five, six, seven and eight shillings even all that they had earn’d
thro’ the harvest, which amounted to near seven pounds sterling.
So Tom having got all their money, he goes on with them till about
three miles out of town, and coming to a field of standing corn
tho’ somewhat green, yet convenient for his purpose, as it lay at
some distance from any house; so he made them begin work there,
telling them he was going to order dinner for them, and send his
own servants to join them. Then he sets off with all the speed he
could, but takes another road into the town lest they should follow
and catch him. Now when the people to whom the corn belonged, saw
such a band in their field they could not understand the meaning of
it: so the farmer whose corn it was, went of crying always as he
ran to them, to stop; but they would not, until he began to strike
at them and they at him, he being in a great passion, as the corn
was not fully ripe; at last, by force of argument, and other people
coming up to them the poor shearers were convinced they had got the
bite, which caused them to go away sore lamenting their misfortune.
Two or three days thereafter, as Tom was going down Canongate in
Edinburgh, he meets one of his shearers, who knew and kept fast
by him, demanding back his money, and also satisfaction for the
rest. Whisht, whisht, says Tom and you’ll get yours and something
else beside. So Tom takes him into the jail, and calls for a bottle
of ale and a dram, then takes the jailor aside, as if he had been
going to borrow some money from him; and says to the jailor, this
man is a great thief, I and other two have been in search of him
these three days, and the other two men have the warrant with them;
so if you keep this rogue here till I run and bring them you shall
have a guinea in reward. Yes, says the jailor, go and I’ll secure
the rogue for you. So Tom got off, leaving the poor innocent fellow
and the jailor struggling together, and then sets out for England
directly.