“ Allan, on the contrary, kept himself sober; and observing that the musicians had laid their fiddles beside his pipes: as soon as he discovered that all was quiet, he got out of bed, and put both the fiddles and his pipes into a water-tub. Allan allowed the fiddlers to rise before him in the morning, when diligent search was made for their instruments. Allan entered the kitchen, crying out, “O, the rogues, they have got my pipes!” Every one believed they were stolen, till one of the servants discovered the fiddles in the water, quite spoiled. ”

“ One night Nell came home greatly hurried, and raising Allan out of bed insisted on moving off. When on the road to Newcastle, Allan enquired the reason for such haste. Nell answered, “A purse of gold and a watch are worth preserving.” On reaching Newcastle, Nell bought him a suit of new clothes, and then determined to enjoy herself. One evening Nell entered their lodgings, and said, “Now, my man, Jemmy, I’m ready to go.” He suspected all was not right, and packing up his pipes and clothes, they proceeded to Morpeth. Stopping at a spring to drink. ”

“ Allan set off for Alnwick with a light heart. The day after his arrival at the castle, he was ushered into the presence of the Countess; and, after he had mustered some degree of courage, he began to play, and acquitted himself in so masterly a style, that he was instantly ranked as one of her musicians, and shortly after appointed her own piper. Allan continued at the castle upwards of two years, during which his conduct was irreproachable. ”

“ The pretended nobleman was no other than an Irish gamester, and one of the first billiard players in the kingdom. Allan, deeply chagrined at his loss, repaired to his lodgings and ordered supper; having collected himself, he packed up his clothes, and among them, by accident, a silver tankard belonging to his landlord, and dropping himself from a back window, made off towards Dumfries. While amusing a party of gentleman there, a stranger, after listening to a few tunes, retired, and in a short time returned with two constables, ordering them to take Allan into custody. ”

“ Allan’s father and mother received him with the greatest affection, and for a time he was very cautious of going out. However, there having to be an otter-hunt in the neighbourhood, he could not resist the temptation of enjoying the sport; and during the hunt, the son of the High constable having said something to vex him, he tumbled the youth into the Coquet. The son, in revenge, persuaded his father to arrest him as a deserter, and a posse of constables was sent to secure him. As they were approaching the house, Jemmy’s step-mother saw them, and instantly bolted the door. ”

“ Allan’s first impulse was to run off; but, on second thoughts, he shook Armstrong very cordially by the hand, and told him, if he would give him his liberty, he would engage to procure him half a dozen as fine looking young men as any in the 25th regiment. The sergeant agreed to the bargain, and, accordingly, Allan joined the party with his pipes; and by a variety of whimsical capers, which so attracted the young men, that before night they had enlisted eight of them. The sergeant, so well pleased with their success, invited Allan to supper, after which they drank and danced until morning. ”

“ Allan bent his course towards Rothbury, and dispatching a Gipsy lad for his pipes, he continued at Holystone until his return, and then travelled to Hexham, where, being short of cash, with his usual audacity, he enlisted, and slipped off after receiving half of his bounty. Another recruiting sergeant, named Hay, followed in pursuit, and suceeded in securing him: they watched him strictly and next day lodged him in the guard-house at Newcastle. Allan finding himself among strangers, lulled their suspicions by his good humoured jokes, and spending his money freely. ”

“ She procured him an old suit of clothes, and found a vessel which was to sail that night. Allan, secure in his disguise reached the ship without interruption. On his arrival in Liverpool he pushed on to Skipton. Finding it needful to have his finances recruited, he determined to enlist; he accordingly accosted a sergeant, told him a well feigned story of his being robbed of his watch and 12 guineas, with which he was hastening home to relieve his parents who were in great distress. The sergeant seemed to sympathize with him, and offered to advance his bounty when he was sworn in. ”

“ Having exchanged the horse for a galloway and ten guineas, he set off across the country, resolving to visit Ireland. At Whitehaven he sold his galloway and sailed for Dublin.
Amongst the passengers was a gentleman fond of music, who was quite enchanted with Allan’s execution on the pipes and hautboy, and greatly exerted himself in establishing his reputation as a musician in Dublin. His talents were valued very highly, and his income averaged ten pounds per week.—Allan, puffed up by his success, became ambitious of becoming a man of fashion ”

“ The man stepped out, but before Allan got one hundred yards from the door, he was seized by a party of soldiers, and immediately taken a prisoner to the guard-house, and from thence was removed to the prison, the officer observing, that “a desperate man deserved desperate treatment.” Allan on viewing his dreary cell, saw there was no way of escape but by sawing asunder the iron window bars which during the night he accomplished. Allan fled with great speed for several miles, when he was obliged to sell his shirt to procure something to eat. ”

“ Allan was preparing the rim of his hat for that purpose, when Nell thrust a massive silver tankard into his hand, saying, “Fill it half full of water, and I’ll add as much brandy to hansel our new jug.” Apprehensive of pursuit, Allan pushed on to Rothbury, where he shortly after borrowed a mare of Mr J. Brown, and being apprehended, was tried at the Moot-hall, found guilty, and condemned to be marked in the hand, which by the influence of the Duke of Northumberland, was performed at the bar by a cold iron. ”

“ Allan having continued some time with the gang, from considerations of personal safety was obliged to decamp. Allan had been previously presented with 16 guineas by a dying Gipsy friend, and having preserved most of the plunder gained at Jedburgh, was well stocked with cash—yet such was his mean and covetous disposition, that he walked ten miles in a dark night in order to steal his wife’s pockets, by which he obtained several guineas, the savings of her industry. ”

“ Having accomplished this, he sprung out of bed with so little care that he awoke both his bed-fellows; but being entangled together they rolled on the floor: Allan threw up the window, and sliding down by the sign-post, effected his escape. He now determined to be revenged on Armstrong for his treachery; and proceeding direct reached Wooler at an early hour, and demanded immediate admittance to the chamber of the sergeant; when Allan in a stern voice addressed him, “Sergeant, you see a man before you whom you have scandalously abused. ”

“ At night, having intoxicated the party, they proceeded on their journey:—Bob being apprehensive of being pursued, prudently withdrew, and joined a gang of old friends, while Allan pressed forward to Rothbury. The sergeant whom he had defrauded at Dunse, discovering his retreat manoeuvred so well as to get entrance into the room where Jemmy was playing. Two soldiers stepped up to him and said, “We want a tune,” and immediately commenced dancing, while others secured the door. ”

“ He made the best of his way to the house of an old associate, living at Felton Ferry Here he met a hearty welcome; and after three day’s jovial carousal, he proceeded towards Newcastle; but whilst walking down the Bottle Bank, in Gateshead, he was taken prisoner by two stout grenadiers Considering resistance vain, Allan assumed a cheerful appearance, and accompanied them to the guard house in Newcastle: here he was informed that a party had been from Durham in search of a deserter, and that they suspected him to be the man. ”

“ It rained hard, and they walked sharply on together, when they met an old man: his companion instantly knocked the man down, and robbed him of his watch and money: in his hurry he dropped the watch, which, Allan said, he picked up to return to its owner; but hearing footsteps, he made off, forgetting to leave the watch behind. Allan hastened to his lodgings, and packing up his clothes, was so fortunate as to get on board a ship ready to sail ”

“ A jolly dame who kept the principal caravansary at Greenlaw, in Berwickshire, had the honour to receive under her roof a very worthy clergyman, with three sons of the same profession, each having a cure of souls ”