Part 7 (2/2)
”Gien yer lords.h.i.+p likes to see yer ain ferlies, I ken whaur some o' them lie,” he said.
”What do you mean by ferlies?” asked the marquis.
”Ow! keeriosities, ye ken. For enstance, there's some queer caves alang the cost--twa or three o' them afore ye come to the Scaurnose. They say the water bude till ha' howkit them ance upon a time, an' they maun hae been fu' o' partans, an' lobsters, an'
their frien's an' neebours; but they're heigh an' dreigh noo, as the fule said o' his minister, an' naething intill them but foumarts, an' otters, an' sic like.”
”Well, well, my lad, we'll see,” said his lords.h.i.+p kindly and turning once more, he resumed his walk.
”At yer lords.h.i.+p's will,” answered Malcolm in a low voice as he lifted his bonnet and again bent to the swivel.
The next morning, he was rowing slowly along in the bay, when he was startled by the sound of his grandfather's pipes, wafted clear and shrill on a breath of southern wind, from the top of the town.
He looked at his watch: it was not yet five o'clock. The expectation of a summons to play at Lossie House, had so excited the old man's brain that he had waked long before his usual time, and Portlossie must wake also. The worst of it was, that he had already, as Malcolm knew from the direction of the sound, almost reached the end of his beat, and must even now be expecting the report of the swivel, until he heard which he would not cease playing, so long as there was a breath in his body. Pulling, therefore, with all his might, Malcolm soon ran his boat ash.o.r.e, and in another instant the sharp yell of the swivel rang among the rocks of the promontory. He was still standing, lapped in a light reverie as he watched the smoke flying seaward, when a voice, already well known to him said, close at his side:
”What are you about with that horrid cannon?”
Malcolm started.
”Ye garred me loup, my leddy!” he returned with a smile and an obeisance.
”You told me,” the girl went on emphatically, and as she spoke she disengaged her watch from her girdle, ”that you fired it at six o'clock. It is not nearly six.”
”Didna ye hear the pipes, my leddy?” he rejoined.
”Yes, well enough; but a whole regiment of pipes can't make it six o'clock when my watch says ten minutes past five.”
”Eh, sic a braw watch!” exclaimed Malcolm. ”What's a' thae bonny white k-nots about the face o' 't?”
”Pearls,” she answered, in a tone that implied pity of his ignorance.
”Jist look at it aside mine!” he exclaimed in admiration, pulling out his great old turnip.
”There!” cried the girl; ”your own watch says only a quarter past five.”
”Ow, ay! my leddy; I set it by the toon clock 'at hings i' the window o' the Lossie Airms last nicht. But I maun awa' an' luik efter my lines, or atween the deil an' the dogfish my lord'll fare ill.”
”You haven't told me why you fired the gun,” she persisted.
Thus compelled, Malcolm had to explain that the motive lay in his anxiety lest his grandfather should over exert himself, seeing he was subject to severe attacks of asthma.
”He could stop when he was tired,” she objected.
”Ay, gien his pride wad lat him,” answered Malcolm, and turned away again, eager to draw his line.
”Have you a boat of your own?” asked the lady.
”Ay; yon's her, doon on the sh.o.r.e yonner. Wad ye like a row? She's fine an' quaiet.”
”Who? The boat?”
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