He was discovered by the Earl one day taking a near cut, and crossing a fence in the demesne.
The Earl called out, "Come back, sir, that's not the road." "Do you ken," said Will, "whaur I'm gaun ?" "No," replied his lordship.

"Weel, hoo the deil do ye ken whether this be the road or no ?" This same "Daft Will Speir" was passing the minister's glebe, where haymaking was in progress.

The minister asked Will if he thought the weather would keep up, as it looked rather like rain.

"Weel," said Will, "I canna be very sure, but I'll be passin' this way the nicht, an' I'll ca' in and tell ye." "Well, Will," said his master one day to him, seeing that he had just finished his dinner, "have you had a good dinner to day ?" (Will had been grumbling some time before.) "Ou, vera gude," answered Will; "but gin onybody asks if I got a dram after't, what will I say ?" This poor creature had a high sense of duty.

It appears he had been given the charge of the coal-stores at the Earl of Eglinton's.
Having on one occasion been reprimanded for allowing the supplies to run out before further supplies were ordered, he was ever afterwards most careful to fulfil his duty.