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up the window, and sliding down by the sign-post, effected his escape. He now determined to be revenged on Armstrong for his treachery; and proceeding direct reached Wooler at an early hour, and demanded immediate admittance to the chamber of the sergeant; when Allan in a stern voice addressed him, “Sergeant, you see a man before you whom you have scandalously abused. I had the good fortune to see your colonel yesterday, to whom I related your base conduct, and he generously presented me with my discharge, (drawing from his pocket a paper carefully folded) at the same time he insisted upon me demanding of you two guineas by way of recompence.” The sergeant being so abruptly awoke, and confounded by this peremptory message, gave him the sum he demanded, and Allan withdrew, hoping he would come to no further harm on the business, further than a reprimand which he justly deserved.
Allan was highly elated at this successful piece of roguery, and borrowing a galloway of a brother Gipsy, he struck through the wilds of the north-west parts of Northumberland. Near Hawick he fell in with a party of Gipsies, and among them his wife Sally: they were proceeding to Kirk-Yetholm, to attend a marriage between a distinguished Scotch Gipsy and one of old Will Faa’s daughters. On entering the village, Allan repaired to the royal residence, to pay his respects to old Will, by whom he was received with great kindness. After celebrating the marriage with much noisy feasting, the company dispersed after their various occupations. Allan was ordered to stay at home, as it was not safe for him to venture abroad. He spent his time in fishing, which was at once his occupation and amusement. During one of his rambles, he heard that a gentleman farmer was to be married to a lady of fortune the following day. He offered his services which were graciously accepted, and he was invited to remain all night. While meditating on the profits of the engagement, he saw two fiddlers enter, and being afraid that the music of the violin would be preferred to pipe music, he determined to “ spoil their fiddling.” The two fiddlers made so free with the refreshments of the evening, that they had to be carried to bed. Allan, on the contrary, kept himself sober; and observing that the musicians had laid their fiddles beside his pipes: as soon as he discovered that all was quiet, he got out of bed, and put both the fiddles and his pipes into
