ch spoke a hearty word and shook hands with him--all except Girnel,
who held back, looking on with his right hand in his trouser-pocket. He
was one who always took the opposite side--a tolerably honest and
trustworthy soul, with a good many knots and pieces of crossgrain in the
timber of him. His old Adam was the most essential and thorough of
dissenters, always arguing and disputing, especially on theological
questions. "Na," said Girnel, "ye maun saitisfee me first wha ye are,
an' what ye want o' me. I'm no to be drawn into onything 'at I dinna ken
a' aboot afore-han'. I s' no tie mysel' up wi' ony promises. Them 'at
gangs whaur they kenna may lan' at the widdie (_gallows_)."

"Nae doobt," said Malcolm, "yer ain jeedgement's mair to ye nor my word,
Girnel; but saw ye ever onything in me 'at wad justifee ye in no
lippenin' to that, sae far's it gaed?"

"Ow na! I'm no sayin' that, naither. But what hae ye to shaw anent the
privin' o' 't?"

"I have papers signed by my father, the late marquis, and sealed and
witnessed by well-known gentlemen of the neighborhood."

"Whaur are they?" said Girnel, holding out his hand.

"I don't carry such valuable things about me," answered Malcolm. "But if
you go with the rest you shall see them afterward."

"I'll du naething i' the dark," persisted Girnel. "Whan I see the
peppers I'll ken what to du." With a nod of the head as self-important
as decisive he turned his back.

"At all events," said Malcolm, "you will say nothing about it before you
hear from one of us again?"

"I mak nae promises," answered Girnel from behind his own back.

A howl arose from the rest.

"Ye promised a'ready," said Blue Peter.

"Na, I didna that: I said never a word."

"What right, then, had you to remain and listen to my disclosure?" said
Malcolm. "If you be guilty of such a mean trick as betray me and ruin my
plans, no honest man in Portlossie or Scaurnose but will scorn you."

"There! tak ye that!" said Peter. "An' I s' promise ye, ye s' never lay
leg ower the gunnel o' _my_ boat again. I s' hae nane but Christi-an men
i' _my_ pey."

"Ye hired me for the sizzon, Blew Peter," said Girnel, turning
defiantly.

"Oh! ye s' hae yer wauges. I'm no ane to creep oot o' a bargain, or say
'at I didna promise. Ye s' hae yer penny. Ye s' get yer reward, never
fear. But into my boat ye s' no come. We'll hae nae Auchans i' oor camp.
Eh, Girnel, man, but ye hae lost yersel' the day! He'll never loup far