Save us! if the deacon had sate down upon it, pity on our brick-floor.
Well, after some ado, we got James, who was more frighted than hurt, hauled out of his hidy-hole; and after lifting off his cowl, and sleeking down his front hair, he took a seat beside us, apologeezing for not being in his Sunday's garb, the which the minister, who was a free and easy man, declared there was no occasion for, and begged him to make himself comfortable.
Well, passing over that business, Mr Wiggie and me entered into our humours, for the drappikie was beginning to tell on my noddle, and made me somewhat venturesome--not to say that I was not a little proud to have the minister in my bit housie; so, says I to him in a cosh way, "Ye may believe me or no, Mr Wiggie, but mair than me think ye out of sight the best preacher in the parish--nane of them, Mr Wiggie, can hold the candle to ye, man." "Weesht, weesht," said the body, in rather a cold way that I did not expect, knowing him to be as proud as a peacock--"I daresay I am just like my neighbours." This was not quite so kind--so says I to him, "Maybe sae, for many a one thinks ye could not hold a candle to Mr Blowster the Cameronian, that whiles preaches at Lugton." This was a stramp on his corny toe.

"Na, na," answered Mr Wiggie, rather nettled; "let us drop that subject.

I preach like my neighbours.

Some of them may be worse, and others better; just as some of your own trade may make clothes worse, and some better, than yourself." My corruption was raised.

"I deny that," said I, in a brisk manner, which I was sorry for after--"I deny that, Mr Wiggie," says I to him; "I'll make a pair of breeches with the face of clay." But this was only a passing breeze, during the which, howsoever, I happened to swallow my thimble, which accidentally slipped off my middle finger, causing both me and the company general alarm, as there were great fears that it might mortify in the stomach; but it did not; and neither word nor wittens of it have been seen or heard tell of from that to this day.