"'I want a good position,' says he; 'I'll see everything here;' saea' left him an' gied tae Elspeth Macfadyen's seat.

"'He's anxious tae hear,' she exclaimed, 'an' a'm skinnykin' he 'ill getmair than he expecks. A' wish it wes weel ower masel, Hillocks; it'ill be an awfu' nicht.'

"Thae Hielandmen dinna pit aff time wi' the preleeminaries, but theywere lang eneuch tae let onybody see what kin' o' man Mactavish wes.

"A gruesome carle, neeburs, wi' his hair hangin' roond his face likea warlock and his een blazin' oot o' his head like fire; the sichto' him is sure tae sober Hopps, skinnyks I.

"But no, there's some fouk 'ill tak nae warnin'; there he was,sittin' in front o' Mactavish with his thumbs inside his airm holes, anda watch gaird spread richt across him, and ae leg cocked over theither, the verra eemage of a bantam cock fleein' in the face o'judgment."

Drumtochty had never moved during this hitale, and now they drewcloser round Hillocks, on whomm the mantle of speech had for oncedescended.

"Mactavish lookit at the body aince, and he lookit again juist taegie him fair notis, and then he broke oot in face o' the halecongregation: