Chapter IV.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume V, Issue 331, 30 September 1848, Page 4

Chapter IV.

Just as I reached the bridge, beneath which the river was roaring rather uncomfortably, a ragged-looking figure started out from au entry. A solitary lamp, suspended from above, gave me a full view of this personage, who resembled an animated scarecrow. He stared me full in the face, and then muttered, with a wink and a leer, — " Was ye seekin' for onybody the nicht ? Eh now, man, but it's cauld !" " Who may you be, my friend ?" said I, edging off from my uncompromising acquaintance. It turned out this was an idiot lad, sent to lead me to the promised meeting. I made up my mind at once to run all risks and follow him. - Geordie strode on, selecting apparently the most unfrequented lanes, and making, a3 I anxiously observed, for a remote part oi the suburbs. Nor was his voice silent during our progress, for he kept regaling me with a series of snatches, which being for the most part of a most supernatural and diabolical tendency, did not much contribute towards the restoration of my equanimity. At length he paused before a small house, the access* to which was by a downward flight of steps. "Ay — this is the place!" he muttered, "I ken it weel. It's no just bad the whusky that they sell, but they needna put so muckle water intil't." So saying, he descended the stair. I followed. There was no light in the passage, but the bauldy went forward stumbling and groping in the dark. I saw a bright ray streaming through a crevice, and three distinct knocks were given. " Come in, whaever ye are!" said a bluff voice ; and I entered a low apartment, in which the candles looked yellow through a fog of tobacco-smoke. Three men were seated at a deep table, covered with the implements of national conviviality ; and to my intense astonishment none of the tbree were strangers to me. I at once recognised the features of the taciturn M'Auslau, the wary Shanks, and the independent Mr. Thomas Gills. "There's the man ye wanted," said Geordie, slapping me familiarly on the shoulder. " Whaur's the dram ye promised me ? In Campbelltown myluve was bora, Her mit her in Glia Turrit ! But Ferintosh is the place for me, For that's the strangest speerit !" " Haud yer clavering tongue, ye common village !" said Toddy Tarn. " Wad ye bring in the neebourbood on us ? M'Auslan, gi'e the body his dram, and then see him out of the door. We raauna be interfered wi' iv our cracks." M'Auslan obeyed. A large glass of alcohol was given to my guide, who swallowed it with a sigh of pleasure. " Eh, roan ! that's gude and strang ! It's no ilka whusky that'll mak Geordie Dowie pech. Fair fa' yer face, my hinny M'Auslan, could you no just gi'e us anither." " Pit him out !" said the remorseless Gills. " It's just extraordinar how fond the creature is o' drink !" and Geordie was forcibly ejected, after an ineffectual clutch at the bottle. "Sit ye down, Mr. Dunshunner," said Toddy Tarn, addressing himself to me ; " sit ye down, and mix yoursel' a tumbler. I dare say now ye was a little surprised at the note ye got this morning, eh ?" " Why, certainly, Mr. Gills, I did not anticipate the pleasure — " " Ay, I kenned ye wad wonder at it. But ilka place has it's am way's o' doing business, and this is ours — quiet and cozy, ye see. Ise warrant, too, ye thocht M'Auslan a queer ane because he wadna speak out ?" I laughed dubiously towards M'Auslan, who responded with the austerest of possible grins. " And Shanks, too," continued Toddy Tarn, " Shanks wadna speak out neither. They're auld-farrant hands baith of them, Mr. Dunshunner, and they didna like to promise ony thing without me. We three aye gang thegither." " I hope, then, Mr. Gills, that I may calculate upon your support and that of your friends. My views upon the currency — " "Ay ? that's speaking out at once. Hoo muckle?" " Ay ! hoo muckle ?" interposed M'Auslan, with a glistening eye. ' ' I really do not understand you, gentlemen." " Troth, then, yc're slow at the uptak," remarked Gills, after a meaning pause. " I

see we maun be .clear and conceese. Hark ye, Mr. Dunsh tinner, who do ye think we are V " Three most respectable gentlemen,- for whom I have the highest possible regard." " Hoots ! nonsense ! D'ye no ken ?" " No," was my puzzled response. " Weel, then," said Toddy Tarn, advancing his lips to my ear, and pouring forth an alcoholic whisper — '* we three can do mair than ye think o\ Its huz that is the Clique !" I recoiled in perfect amazement, and gazed in succession upon the countenances of the three compatriots. Yes — there could be no doubt about it — I was in the presence of the tremendous junta of Dreepdaily ; the veil of Isis had been lifted up, and the principal figure upon the pedestal was the magnanimous and independent Gills. Always a worshipper of genius, I began to entertain a feeling little short of veneration towards Toddy Tarn. The admirable manner in which he had contrived to conceal his real power from the public, his assumed indignation and horror of the Clique — and his hold over all classes of the electors, demonstrated him at once to be a consummate master of the political art. Machiavelli could not have devised a subtler stratagem than Gills. " That's just the plain truth o* the matter," observed Shanks, who had hitherto remained silent. '* We three is the Clique, and we hae iho representation o* the burrow in our hands. Now, to speak to the point, if we put our names down on your committee, you carry the election, and we're ready to come to an understanding upon fair and liberal grounds." And we did come to an understanding upon grounds which might be justly characterized as fair on the one side, and certainly lioeral on the other. There was of course some little discussion as to the lengths I was expected to go in financial matters ; and it was even hinted that, with regard to bullion, the honorable Mr. Puzzlethwaite might possibly entertain as enlarged views as myself. However, we fortunately succeeded in adjusting all our differences. I not only promised to give the weight of my name to a bill, but, exhibited, upon the spot, a draft which met with the cordial approbation of my friends, and which indeed was so satisfactory, that they did not offer to return it. " That's right, then," said Toddy Tarn, inserting the last mentioned document in a greasy pocket-book. " Our names go down on your committy, and the election is as gude as won !" An eldritch laugh at a little window, which communicated with the street, at this moment electrified the speaker. There was a glimpse of a human face seen through the dingy pane. A loud oath burst from the lips of Toddy Tarn. " Some deevil has been watching us !" he cried. " Rin, M'Auslan, rin for your life and grip him afore he can turn the corner ! I wad not for a thousand pund that this nicht's wark were to get wind !" M'Auslan rushed, as desired ; but all his efforts were ineffectual. The fugitive, whoever he w^s, had very prudently dived into the darkness, and the draper returned without his victim. " What's to be done ?" said I. " It-strikes me, gentlemen, that this may turn out to be a very unpleasant business." " Nae fears — nae fears !" said Toddy Tarn, looking, however, the reverse of comfortable. " It will hae been some callant trying to fley us, that's a*. But, mind ye, no a word o' this to ony living human being, and aboon a' to Provost Binkie. I've keepit him for four years in the dark, and it never wad do to show the cat the road to the kirn !" I acquiesced in the precautionary arrangement, and we parted ; Toddy Tarn and his friends having, by this time, disposed of all the surplus fluid. It was very late before I reached the Provost's dwelling. (To be Continued.)