"Cause I want ye to believe me noo, an' it winna be easy."

"I'll believe onything ye tell me--'at can be believed."

"Weel, I ha'e come to the knowledge 'at my name's no MacPhail: it's
Colonsay. Man, I'm the Markis o' Lossie."

Without a moment's hesitation, without a single stare of unbelief
or even astonishment, Blue Peter pulled off his bonnet, and stood
bareheaded before the companion of his toils.

"Peter!" cried Malcolm, "dinna brak my hert: put on yer bonnet."

"The Lord o' lords be thankit, my lord!" said Blue Peter: "the puir
man has a freen' this day."

Then replacing his bonnet he said--"An' what'll be yer lordship's
wull?"

"First and foremost, Peter, that my best freen', efter my auld
daddy and the schulemaister, 's no to turn again' me 'cause I hed
a markis an' neither piper nor fisher to my father."

"It's no like it, my lord," returned Blue Peter, "whan the first
thing I say is--what wad ye ha'e o' me? Here I am--no speirin'
a queston!"

"Weel, I wad ha'e ye hear the story o' 't a'."

"Say on, my lord," said Peter.