At any rate he committed to this acute overseer all the practical details; and on the present occasion had sent him to market to dispose of a cow and a pony, a simple enough transaction, and with a simple enough result.

The cow was, brought back, the pony was sold.

But the man's description of it forms the point.

"Well, John, have you sold the cow ?" "Na, but I _grippit_ a chiel for the powny!" "_Grippit_" was here most expressive.

Indeed, this word has a significance hardly expressed by any English one, and used to be very prevalent to indicate keen and forcible tenacity of possession; thus a character noted for avarice or sharp looking to self-interest was termed "grippy." In mechanical contrivances, anything taking a close adherence was called having a gude _grip_.