Chapter 18 - Page 2

gaming-tables and shooting-galleries were erected
by human hands, and it followed that were you to listen through the
night you must hear the hammers. But always in the watches the god of
the Muckley came unseen and glued your eyes, as if with Teuch and Tasty,
and while you slept--Up you woke with a start. What was it you were to
mind as soon as you woke? Listen! That's a drum beating! It's the
Muckley! They are all here! It has begun! Oh, michty, michty, michty,
whaur's my breeks?

When Tommy, with Elspeth and Grizel, set off excitedly for the town, the
country folk were already swarming in. The Monypenny road was thick with
them, braw loons in blue bonnets with red bobs to them, tartan
waistcoats, scarves of every color, woollen shirts as gay, and the
strutting wearers in two minds--whether to take off the scarf to display
the shirt, or hide the shirt and trust to the scarf. Came lassies, too,
in wincey bodices they were like to burst through, and they were
listening apprehensively as they ploughed onward for a tearing at the
seams. There were red-headed lasses, yellow-chy-headed and black-headed,
blue-shawled and red-shawled lasses; boots on every one of them,
stockings almost as common, the skirt kilted up for the present, but
down it should go when they were in the thick of things, and then it
must take care of itself. All were solemn and sheepish as yet, but wait
a bit.

The first-known face our three met was Corp. He was only able to sign to
them, because Californy's specialty had already done its work and glued
his teeth together. He was off to the smithy to be melted, but gave them
to understand that though awkward it was glorious. Then came Birkie, who
had sewn up the mouths of his pockets, all but a small slit in each, as
a precaution against pickpockets, and was now at his own request being
held upside down by the Haggerty-Taggertys on the chance that a
halfpenny which had disappeared mysteriously might fall out. A more
tragic figure was Francie Crabb (one and seven pence), who, like a mad,
mad thing, had taken all his money to the fair at once. In ten minutes
he had bought fourteen musical instruments.

Tommy and party had not yet reached the celebrated corner of the west
town end where the stands began, but they were near it, and he stopped
to give Grizel and Elspeth his final instructions: "(1) Keep your money
in your purse, and your purse in your hand, and your hand in your
pocket; (2) if you lose me, I'll give Shovel's whistle, and syne you
maun squeeze and birse your way back to me."

Now then, are you ready? Bang! They were in it. Strike up, ye fiddlers;
drums, break; tooters, fifers, at it for your lives; trumpets, blow;
bagpipes, skirl; music-boxes, all together