e top of the morning to you," said Quill, familiarly patting him on the
back; "how goes it, old Brimstone?"

The conversation might not have taken a very amicable turn had M'Lauchlan
heard the latter part of this speech; but, as happily he was engaged
unpacking a small canteen which he had placed in the wagon, it passed
unnoticed.

"You'll nae dislike a toothfu' of something warm, Major," said he,
presenting a glass to O'Shaughnessy; "and if ye'll permit me, Mr. O'Mealey,
to help you--"

"A thousand thanks, Doctor; but I fear a broken arm--"

"There's naething in the whiskey to prevent the proper formation of
callus."

"By the rock of Cashel, it never made any one callous," said O'Shaughnessy,
mistaking the import of the phrase.

"Ye are nae drinking frae the flask?" said the doctor, turning in some
agitation towards Quill.

"Devil a bit, my darling. I've a little horn convaniency here, that holds
half-a-pint, nice measure."

I don't imagine that our worthy friend participated in Quill's admiration
of the "convaniency," for he added, in a dry tone:--

"Ye may as weel tak your liquor frae a glass, like a Christian, as stick
your nose in a coo's horn."

"By my conscience, you're no small judge of spirits, wherever you learned
it," said the major; "it's like Islay malt!"

"I was aye reckoned a gude ane," said the doctor, "and my mither's brither
Caimbogie had na his like in the north country. Ye may be heerd tell what
he aince said to the Duchess of Argyle, when she sent for him to taste her
claret."

"Never heard of it," quoth Quill; "let's have it by all means. I'd like to
hear what the duchess said to him."

"It was na what the duchess said to him, but what he said to the duchess,
ye ken. The way of it was this: My uncle Caimbogie was aye up at the
castle, for besides his knowledge of liquor, there was nae his match for
deer-stalking, or spearing a salmon, in those parts. He was a great, rough
carle, it's true; but ane ye'd rather crack wi' than fight wi'.

"Weel, ae day they had a grand dinner at the duke's, and there were plenty
o' great southern lords and braw leddies in velvets and satin; and vara
muckle surprised they were at my uncle, when he came in wi' his tartan
kilt, in full Highland dress, as the head of a clan ought to do. Caimbogie,
however, pe'd nae attention to them; but he eat his dinner, and drank his
wine, and talked away about fallow and red deer, and at last the duchess,
for she was