But Auld Wat was never disposed to linger unduly, even when courting the smile of the capricious Goddess. He believed in himself, and relied mainly for his good fortune on his own energy and skill. He was a man of the world--keen, subtle, far-seeing, energetic--never allowing the grass to grow under his feet. He believed in taking time by the forelock--in making hay while the sun shone. Rarely did he ever miss a favourable opportunity of increasing "his goods and gear." And his reiving was carried on in no paltry or insignificant fashion. He was a man of large ideas, and he carried them out on a splendid scale. For example, we find that in 1596 he ran a day foray into Gilsland, and carried off "300 oxen and kye, a horse and a nag." This was a large addition to make to his stock, and one cannot help thinking that the "dell" in front of Harden castle, where he kept his captured nowte, must have often been unduly crowded. But then it ought be remembered that the demands on his hospitality were numerous and not always easily met. He had a numerous body of retainers, as was befitting a man of his position, who had to be kept in "horse meat and man's meat," and having so many to provide for, his large herds often disappeared with great rapidity. The result was that he was constantly under the necessity of crossing the Border in order to replenish his stock. It is related that on one occasion he overheard the town herd calling out to some one, as he was passing, to "send out Wat o' Harden's coo." "Wat o' Harden's coo!" the old reiver indignantly exclaimed, "My sang, I'll soon mak ye speak of Wat o' Harden's kye," and so he at once gathered his forces, marched into Northumberland, and before long he was seen on his way back driving before him a big herd of cows and a basson'd bull. On his way he passed a large sow-backed haystack. Turning round in his saddle and looking at it wistfully, he said, in a regretful tone of voice, "If ye had four feet, ye wadna stand long there!"