waukin' them, honest fowk."

"And what made you fire the gun in that reckless way? Don't you
know it is very dangerous?"

"Dangerous mem--my leddy, I mean! There was naething intill 't
but a pennyworth o' blastin' pooder. It wadna blaw the froth aff
o' the tap o' a jaw (billow)."

"It nearly blew me out of my small wits, though."

"I'm verra sorry it frichtit ye. But, gien I had seen ye, I bude
to fire the gun."

"I don't understand you quite; but I suppose you mean it was your
business to fire the gun."

"Jist that, my leddy."

"Why?"

"'Cause it's been decreet i' the toon cooncil that at sax o' the
clock ilka mornin' that gun's to be fired--at least sae lang's
my lord, the marquis, is at Portlossie Hoose. Ye see it's a royal
brugh, this, an' it costs but aboot a penny, an' it's gran' like
to hae a sma' cannon to fire. An' gien I was to neglec' it, my
gran'father wad gang on skirlin'--what's the English for skirlin',
my leddy--skirlin' o' the pipes?"

"I don't know. But from the sound of the word I should suppose it