It was, however, unintelligible to them, and so remained, except on the theory commonly adopted with regard to Gibbie, namely, that he wasna a' there.

Not the less was it to them a satisfactory whim of his, seeing it mitigated their trouble as guardians of the nightly peace and safety.

It was indeed the main cause of his being, like themselves, so much in the street at night: seldom did Gibbie seek his lair--I cannot call it couch--before the lengthening hours of the morning.

If the finding of things was a gift, this other peculiarity was a passion--and a right human passion--absolutely possessing the child: it was, to play the guardian angel to drunk folk.

If such a distressed human craft hove in sight, he would instantly bear down upon and hover about him, until resolved as to his real condition.