their　ground。　Of　course；　mischief　sometimes　happened：　boys　are　said　to
  have　been　killed　at　these　_Bickers；_　as　they　were　called；　and　serious　accidents
  certainly　took　place；　as　many　contemporaries　can　bear　witness。
  The　Author's　father　residing　in　George　Square；　in　the　southern　side　of
  Edinburgh；　the　boys　belonging　to　that　family；　with　others　in　the　square；
  were　arranged　into　a　sort　of　company；　to　which　a　lady　of　distinction　presented
  a　handsome　set　of　colours。　Now　this　company　or　regiment；　as　a
  matter　of　course；　was　engaged　in　weekly　warfare　with　the　boys　inhabiting
  the　Crosscauseway；　Bristo　Street；　the　Potterrow…in　short；　the　neighbouring
  suburbs。　These　last　were　chiefly　of　the　lower　rank；　but　hardy　loons；
  who　threw　stones　to　a　hair's…breadth；　and　were　very　rugged　antagonists　at
  close　quarters。　The　skirmish　sometimes　lasted　for　a　whole　evening；　until
  one　party　or　the　other　was　victorious；　when；　if　ours　were　successful；　we
  drove　the　enemy　to　their　quarters；　and　were　usually　chased　back　by　the　reinforcement
  of　bigger　lads　who　came　to　their　assistance。　If；　on　the　contrary；
  we　were　pursued；　as　was　often　the　case；　into　the　precincts　of　our
  square；　we　were　in　our　turn　supported　by　our　elder　brothers；　domestic
  servants；　and　similar　auxiliaries。
  It　followed；　from　our　frequent　opposition　to　each　other；　that；　though
  not　knowing　the　names　of　our　enemies；　we　were　yet　well　acquainted　with
  their　appearance；　and　had　nick…names　for　the　most　remarkable　of　them。
  One　very　active　and　spirited　boy　might　be　considered　as　the　principal　leader
  in　the　cohort　of　the　suburbs。　He　was；　I　suppose；　thirteen　or　fourteen
  years　old；　finely…made；　tall；　blue…eyed；　with　long　fair　hair；　the　very　picture
  of　a　youthful　Goth。　This　lad　was　always　first　in　the　charge；　and　last　in
  the　retreat…the　Achilles；　at　once；　and　Ajax；　of　the　Crosscauseway。　He
  was　too　formidable　to　us　not　to　have　a　cognomen；　and；　like　that　of　a　knight
  of　old；　it　was　taken　from　the　most　remarkable　part　of　his　dress；　being　a
  pair　of　old　green　livery　breeches；　which　was　the　principal　part　of　his　clothing；
  for；　like　Pentapolin；　according　to　Don　Quixote's　account；　Green…Breeks；
  as　we　called　him；　always　entered　the　battle　with　bare　arms；　legs；
  and　feet。
  It　fell；　that　once　upon　a　time；　when　the　combat　was　at　the　thickest；　this
  plebeian　champion　headed　a　sudden　charge；　so　rapid　and　furious　that　all
  fled　before　him。　He　was　several　paces　before　his　comrades；　and　had
  actually　laid　his　hands　on　the　patrician　standard；　when　one　of　our　party；
  whom　some　misjudging　friend　had　entrusted　with　a　_couteau　de　chasse；_　or
  hanger；　inspired　with　a　zeal　for　the　honour　of　the　corps；　worthy　of　Major
  Sturgeon　himself；　struck　poor　Green…Breeks　over　the　head；　with　strength
  sufficient　to　cut　him　down。　When　this　was　seen；　the　casualty　was　so　far
  beyond　what　had　ever　taken　place　before；　that　both　parties　fled　different
  ways；　leaving　poor　Green…Breeks；　with　his　bright　hair　plentifully　dabbled
  in　blood；　to　the　care　of　the　watchman；　who　（honest　man）　took　care　not　to
  know　who　had　done　the　mischief。　The　bloody　hanger　was　flung　into　one
  of　the　Meadow　ditches；　and　solemn　secrecy　was　sworn　on　all　hands；　but
  the　remorse　and　terror　of　the　actor　were　beyond　all　bounds；　and　his　apprehensions
  of　the　most　dreadful　character。　The　wounded　hero　was　for　a
  few　days　in　the　Infirmary；　the　case　being　only　a　trifling　one。　But　though
  inquiry　was　strongly　pressed　on　him；　no　argument　could　make　him　indicate
  the　person　from　whom　he　had　received　the　wound；　though　he　must
  have　been　perfectly　well　known　to　him。　When　he　recovered；　and　was
  dismissed；　the　Author　and　his　brothers　opened　a　communication　with　him；
  through　the　medium　of　a　popular　ginger…bread　baker；　of　whom　both
  parties　were　customers；　in　order　to　tender　a　subsidy　in　name　of　smart…money。
  The　sum　would　excite　ridicule　were　I　to　name　it；　but　sure　I　am；
  that　the　pockets　of　the　noted　Green…Breeks　never　held　as　much　money　of
  his　own。　He　declined　the　remittance；　saying　that　he　would　not　sell　his
  blood；　but　at　the　same　time　reprobated　the　idea　of　being　an　informer；　which
  he　said　was　_clam；_　i。e。　base　or　mean。　With　much　urgency　he　accepted　a
  pound　of　snuff　for　the　use　of　some　old　woman…aunt；　grandmother；　or　the
  like…with　whom　he　lived。　We　did　not　become　friends；　for　the　_bickers_
  were　more　agreeable　to　both　parties　than　any　more　pacific　amusement；
  but　we　conducted　them　ever　after　under　mutual　assurances　of　the　highest
  consideration　of　each　other。
  Such　was　the　hero　whom　Mr。　Thomas　Scott　proposed　to　carry　to　Canada；
  and　involve　in　adventures　with　the　natives　and　colonists　of　that　country。
  Perhaps　the　youthful　generosity　of　the　lad　will　not　seem　so　great　in　the
  eyes　of　others　as　to　those　whom　it　was　the　means　of　screening　from　severe
  rebuke　and　punishment。　But　it　seemed；　to　those　concerned；　to　argue　a
  nobleness　of　sentiment　far　beyond　the　pitch　of　most　minds；　and　however
  obscurely　the　lad　who　showed　such　a　frame　of　noble　spirit　may　have
  lived　or　died；　I　cannot　help　being　of　opinion；　that　if　fortune　had　placed
  him　in　circumstances　calling　for　gallantry　or　generosity；　the　man　would
  have　fulfilled　the　promises　of　the　boy。　Long　afterwards；　when　the　story
  was　told　to　my　father；　he　censured　us　severely　for　not　telling　the　truth　at
  the　time；　that　he　might　have　attempted　to　be　of　use　to　the　young　man　in
  entering　on　life。　But　our　alarms　for　the　consequences　of　the　drawn　sword；
  and　the　wound　inflicted　with　such　a　weapon；　were　far　too　predominant　at
  the　time　for　such　a　pitch　of　generosity。
  Perhaps　I　ought　not　to　have　inserted　this　school…boy　tale；　but　besides
  the　strong　impression　made　by　the　incident　at　the　time；　the　whole　accompaniments
  of　the　story　are　matters　to　me　of　solemn　and　sad　recollection。
  Of　all　the　little　band　who　were　concerned　in　those　juvenile　sports　or　brawls；
  I　can　scarce　recollect　a　single　survivor。　Some　left　the　ranks　of　mimic　war
  to　die　in　the　active　service　of　their　country。　Many　sought　distant　lands　to
  return　no　more。　Others；　dispersed　in　different　paths　of　life；　‘‘my　dim
  eyes　now　seek　for　in　vain。''　Of　five　brothers；　all　healthy　and　promising；
  in　a　degree　far　beyond　one　whose　infancy　was　visited　by　personal　infirmity；
  and　whose　health　after　this　period　seemed　long　very　precarious；　I　am；
  nevertheless；　the　only　survivor。　The　best　loved；　and　the　best　deserving　to
  be　loved；　who　had　destined　this　incident　to　be　the　foundation　of　literary
  composition；　died　‘‘before　his　day''　in　a　distant　and　foreign　land；　and
  trifles　assume　an　importance　not　their　own　when　connected　with　those　who
  have　been　loved　and　lost。