"It's ta watch 'at 'll pe telling ta lies, Malcolm, my poy," he said
thoughtfully. "She was once pefore."

"But the sun says the same 's the watch, daddy," persisted Malcolm.

Duncan understood the position of the sun and what it signified,
as well as the clearest eyed man in Port Lossie, but he could not
afford to yield.

"It was peing some conspeeracy of ta cursit Cawmills, to make her
loss her poor pension," he said. "Put never you mind, Malcolm;
I'll pe making up for ta plunder ta morrow mornin'. Ta coot peoples
shall haf teir sleeps a whole hour after tey ought to be at teir
works."



CHAPTER IX: THE SALMON TROUT


Malcolm walked up through the town with his fish, hoping to part
with some of the less desirable of them, and so lighten his basket,
before entering the grounds of Lossie House. But he had met with
little success, and was now approaching the town gate, as they called
it, which closed a short street at right angles to the principal
one, when he came upon Mrs Catanach--on her knees, cleaning her
doorstep.

"Weel, Malcolm, what fish hae ye?" she said, without looking up.