But most of all he loved the little shy creatures that lived in the sunshine among the flowersthe small birds and butterflies, and little beasties and creeping things he was accustomed to see outside the gate among the tall, wild sunflowers.

Our bonnie rigs theirsel', Reca' my waes to mind, Our puir dumb beasties tell O' a' that I ha'e tyned; For whae our wheat will saw, And whae our sheep will shear, Sin' my a' gaed awa', In the fa' o' the year?

"A weel, there's nae mischief done," continues my interlocutor; "but it's nae good a stalking Epaminondas, for he's just a sagacious beastie altogether.

A body can aye streitch himself doon under a tree for a bit sleep withoot getting wasps and wee beasties crawling up inside his kilt, and puddocks craw-crawing in his ear!