into Edinburgh Castle; and nothing could surpass the great
importance that Bailie Booble made of himself, on the occasion, on
getting the man into a coach, and two dragoons to guard him into
Glasgow.

But oh! what a dejected man was the miserable Bailie Booble, and
what a laugh rose from shop and chamber, when the tidings came out
from Edinburgh that, "the alien enemy" was but a French cook coming
over from Dublin, with the intent to take up the trade of a
confectioner in Glasgow, and that the map of the Clyde was nothing
but a plan for the outset of a fashionable table--the bailie's
island of Arran being the roast beef, and the craig of Ailsa the
plum-pudding, and Plada a butter-boat. Nobody enjoyed the
jocularity of the business more than myself; but I trembled when I
thought of the escape that my honour and character had with the lord
advocate. I trow, Bailie Booble never set himself so forward from
that day to this.



CHAPTER XIII--THE MEAL MOB



After the close of the American war, I had, for various reasons of a
private nature, a wish to sequestrate myself for a time, from any
very ostensible part in public affairs. Still, however, desiring to
retain a mean of resuming my station, and of maintaining my
influence in the council, I bespoke Mr Keg to act in my place as
deputy for My Lord, who was regularly every year at this time chosen