"'And is yon a timmer clauchan we see?' pointing to Bytown, quoth the Laird.
"'Ay, yonder are the shanties,' I informed him, 'of a village the people are busy building.'
"'Ay, there again, noo,' he replied, 'What a queer name ye hae for timmer houses.'
"I explained that the first rough house that a settler built was called a shanty; the next, which was more genteel, was called a log-house; and the third and last was a clapboard house.
"He expressed some astonishment at this, and wondered 'if I could recommend him to a clout of land ony gate aboot that he could big a bit shanty on an' tak' a blaw o' the pipe in wi' comfort.'
"I informed him that land was by no means scarce, and that he might get a farm for an auld sang. 'Ay, mon,' I said, 'a farm larger than Birrboy for an auld sang.'
"This seemed to please him much, but he said: 'I hae nae siller, ye see, an' what's the use of a farm without it? I maun e'en see to get into the public works gaen on here and see to lay by a triffle. I wush ye wad be sae kind as to tell me how to act that I might find some employment.'
"'Go to the gentleman over the way,' said I, pointing to our military commander, who was out bustling about the works.
"'That man with the red coat and the cocked hat?' he inquired.
"'The same,' I said, 'and say to him that there was a man sent you to His Honor who thought you might be worth four shillings and sixpence a day as a squad-master of laborers.'