re ye?' said Peter; and without further
ceremony reared the flagon to his head, from which he withdrew it not
while a single drop of 'barley-broo' remained. 'That's done you and
me muckle gude,' he said, sighing as he set down his pot; 'but twa
mutchkins o' yill between twa folk is a drappie ower little measure.
What say ye to anither pot? or shall we cry in a blithe Scots pint at
ance? The yill is no amiss.'

'Thou mayst call for what thou wilt on thine own charges, friend,' said
Geddes; 'for myself, I willingly contribute to the quenching of thy
natural thirst; but I fear it were no such easy matter to relieve thy
acquired and artificial drought.'

'That is to say, in plain terms, ye are for withdrawing your caution
with the folk of the house? You Quaker folk are but fause comforters;
but since ye have garred me drink sae muckle cauld yill--me that am no
used to the like of it in the forenoon--I think ye might as weel have
offered me a glass of brandy or usquabae--I'm nae nice body--I can drink
onything that's wet and toothsome.'

'Not a drop at my cost, friend,' quoth Geddes. 'Thou art an old man, and
hast perchance a heavy and long journey before thee. Thou art, moreover,
my countryman, as I judge from thy tongue; and I will not give thee the
means of dishonouring thy grey hairs in a strange land.'

'Grey hairs, neighbour!' said Peter, with a wink to the bystanders, whom
this dialogue began to interest, and who were in hopes of seeing the
Quaker played off by the crazed beggar, for such Peter Peebles appeared
to be. 'Grey hairs! The Lord mend your eyesight, neighbour, that disna
ken grey hairs frae a tow wig!'

This jest procured a shout of laughter, and, what was still more
acceptable than dry applause, a man who stood beside called out, 'Father
Crackenthorp, bring a nipperkin of brandy. I'll bestow a dram on this
fellow, were it but for that very word.'

The brandy was immediately brought by a wench who acted as barmaid; and
Peter, with a grin of delight, filled a glass, quaffed it off, and then
saying, 'God bless me! I was so unmannerly as not to drink to ye--I
think the Quaker has smitten me wi' his ill-bred havings,'--he was about
to fill another, when his hand was arrested by his new friend; who said
at the same time, 'No, no, friend--fair play's a jewel--time about, if
you please.' And filling a glass for himself, emptied it as gallantly
as Peter could have done. 'What say you to that, friend?' he conti