The second was ane Lapraik, whom the folk ca'd Tod Lapraik maistly, but whether for his name or his nature I could never hear tell.

Weel, Tam gaed to see Lapraik upon this business, and took me, that was a toddlin' laddie, by the hand.

Tod had his dwallin' in the lang loan benorth the kirkyaird.

It's a dark uncanny loan, forby that the kirk has aye had an ill name since the days o' James the Saxt and the deevil's cantrips played therein when the Queen was on the seas; and as for Tod's house, it was in the mirkest end, and was little liked by some that kenned the best.

The door was on the sneck that day, and me and my faither gaed straucht in.