be scalding hot, the pain occasioned by its descent down his throat and
into his stomach, inflamed the ill-humour with which he was already
prepared to meet his kinsman.

"The deil take them that made them!" was his first ejaculation,
apostrophizing his mess of porridge.

"They're gude parritch eneugh," said Mrs Wilson, "if ye wad but take time
to sup them. I made them mysell; but if folk winna hae patience, they
should get their thrapples causewayed."

"Haud your peace, Alison! I was speaking to my nevoy.--How is this, sir?
And what sort o' scampering gates are these o' going on? Ye were not at
hame last night till near midnight."

"Thereabouts, sir, I believe," answered Morton, in an indifferent tone.

"Thereabouts, sir?--What sort of an answer is that, sir? Why came ye na
hame when other folk left the grund?"

"I suppose you know the reason very well, sir," said Morton; "I had the
fortune to be the best marksman of the day, and remained, as is usual, to
give some little entertainment to the other young men."

"The deevil ye did, sir! And ye come to tell me that to my face? You
pretend to gie entertainments, that canna come by a dinner except by
sorning on a carefu' man like me? But if ye put me to charges, I'se work
it out o'ye. I seena why ye shouldna haud the pleugh, now that the
pleughman has left us; it wad set ye better than wearing thae green duds,
and wasting your siller on powther and lead; it wad put ye in an honest