be much more than
Cameronian by marriage--a "tacked-on one," in short. His walk and
conversation were by no means so straightforward, as those of one sound
in the faith ought to have been. It was easy to tell when Billy and his
cart had passed along the road, for his tracks did not go forward, like
all other wheel-marks, but meandered hither and thither across the road,
as though he had been weaving some intricate web of his own devising.
He was called the Whinnyliggate Express, and his record was a mile and a
quarter an hour, good going.

Mary herself was generally tugging at him to come on. She pulled Billy,
and Billy pulled the cart. But, nevertheless, in the long-run, it was
the will of Billy that was the ultimate law. Walter was very glad to
have the M'Haffies on the cart, both because he was allowed to walk all
the time, and because he hoped to get Mary into a good temper against
next Tuesday.

Mary came Drumquhat way twice a week--on Tuesdays and Fridays. As Wattie
went to school he met her, and, being allowed by his granny one penny to
spend at Mary's cart, he generally occupied most of church time, and all
the school hours for a day or two before these red-letter occasions, in
deciding what he would buy.

It did not make choice any easier that alternatives were strictly
limited. While he was slowly and laboriously making up his mind as to
the long-drawn-out merits of four farthing biscuits, the way that
"halfpenny Abernethies" melted in the mouth arose before him with
irresistible force. And just as he had settled to have these, the
thought of the charming explorations after the currants in a couple of
"cookies" was really too much for him. Again, the solid and enduring
charms of a penny "Jew's roll," into which he could put his lump of
butter, often entirely unsettled his mind at the last moment. The
consequence was that Wattie had always to make up his mind in the
immediate presence of the objects, and by that time neither Billy nor
Mary could brook very long delays.

It was important, therefore, on Sabbaths, to propitiate Mary as much as
possible, so that she might not cut him short and proceed on her way
without supplying his wants, as she had done at least once before. On
that occasion she said--

"D'ye think Mary M'Haffie has naething else in the world to do, but
stan' still as lang as it pleases you to gaup there! Gin ye canna tell
us what ye want, ye can e'en do withoot! Gee up, Billy! Come oot o