One day when the cattle were feeding close by the manse, she found on the holly-hedge which surrounded it, Mrs.Mitchell's best cap, laid out to bleach in the sun.

It was a tempting morsel--more susceptible of mastication than shoe-leather.
Mrs.Mitchell, who had gone for another freight of the linen with which she was sprinkling the hedge, arrived only in time to see the end of one of its long strings gradually disappearing into Hawkie's mouth on its way after the rest of the cap, which had gone the length of the string farther.

With a wild cry of despair she flew at Hawkie, so intent on the stolen delicacy as to be more open to a surprise than usual, and laying hold of the string, drew from her throat the deplorable mass of pulp to which she had reduced the valued gaud.

The same moment Turkey, who had come running at her cry, received full in his face the slimy and sloppy extract.

Nor was this all, for Mrs.
Mitchell flew at him in her fury, and with an outburst of abuse boxed his ears soundly, before he could recover his senses sufficiently to run for it.