Miss Naper maks me welcome as weel's you.'
'An' I will mak ye welcome, Robert, as lang's ye're a gude lad, as
ye are, and gang na efter--nae ill gait. But lat me hear o' yer
doin' as sae mony young gentlemen do, espeacially whan they're ta'en
up by their rich relations, an', public-hoose as this is, I'll close
the door o' 't i' yer face.'
'Bless me, Miss Naper!' said Robert, 'what hae I dune to set ye at
me that gait? Faith, I dinna ken what ye mean.'
'Nae mair do I, laddie. I hae naething against ye whatever. Only
ye see auld fowk luiks aheid, an' wad fain be as sure o' what's to
come as o' what's gane.'
'Ye maun bide for that, I doobt,' said Robert.
'Laddie,' retorted Miss Napier, 'ye hae mair sense nor ye hae ony
richt till. Haud the tongue o' ye. Mr. Ericson 's to come here
neist.'
And the old lady laughed such good humour into her stocking-sole,
that the foot destined to wear it ought never to have been cold
while it lasted. So it was then settled; and a week before Robert
was to start for Aberdeen, Ericson walked into The Boar's Head.
Half-an-hour after that, Crookit Caumill was shown into the
ga'le-room with the message to Maister Robert that Maister Ericson
was come, and wanted to see him.
Robert pitched Hutton's Mathematics into the grate, sprung to his
feet, all but embraced Crookit Caumill on the spot, and was deterred
only by the perturbed look the man wore. Crookit Caumill was a very
human creature, and hadn't a fault but the drink, Miss Napier said.
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