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He's got a lad's heart the laal man has," says Mattha, with the manner of a man who is conscious that he is making an original observation. And now the sun declines between the Noddle Fell and Bleaberry. The sports are over, but not yet is the day's pleasure done. When darkness has fallen over meadow and mountain the kitchen of the house on the Moss is alive with bright faces.
While that gentleman had been jogging along homewards he had been fostering uncomfortable sentiments of spite respecting the "laal hussy" who had betrayed him. He had been mentally rehearsing the withering reproaches and yet more withering glances which he meant to launch forth upon her when next it should be her misfortune to cross his path.
"The lass is right," said Robbie; "I'll be off." And the young man swung on his heel as though about to carry out his purpose on the instant. "Stop, stop," said Mattha; "I reckon the laal tailor's got farther ner the next cause'y post. You must come and tak a bite of dinner and set away with summat in yer pocket." "Hang the pocket! I must be off," said Robbie.
Ey, swear it!" cried Robbie at a fuller pitch of his weakened voice. "He's olas running on that, too," whispered Mattha to Rotha. "Dusta mind 'at laal Reuben said the same?" In a soft and pleading tone Robbie mumbled on, "Don't greet, mammy, or ye'll kill me sure enough. Killing you? Ey, it's true it's true; but I'll mend my management I will."
Good neet, Mary; it's like ye'll be a' thrang eneuf to-morrow wi' the feast for the berryin', and it's like eneuf ma mistress and laal Liza will be ower at the windin'." The dame sighed audibly. "And keep up a blithe heart, Mary. Remember, he that has gude crops may thole some thistles." When the door had closed behind the weaver, Willy came back to the kitchen from his little room.
"He's of the bettermer sort, he is," said Matthew with a motion of his head towards the door at which Willy had gone out. "He taks it bad, does Willy. Ralph was chapfallen a laal bit, but not ower much. Deary me, but ye've gat all sorts of sons though you've nobbut two.
"And when the auld one did get strucken, he could not shriek," added Reuben. "We know nowt of that reetly," said Matthew, "and maybe nivver will." "What was that about a warrant?" said Monsey. "Nay, nay, laal man, that's mair ner ony on us knows for certain." "But ye have a notion on it, have ye not?" said Reuben, with a twinkle which was intended to flatter Matthew into a communicative spirit.
"Like eneuf," said several voices amid a laugh. "He was hard on Mother Garth was Wilson," continued Matthew; "I nivver could mak ought on it. He called her a witch, and seurly she is a laal bit uncanny." "Maybe she wasn't always such like," said Mr. Jackson. "Maybe not, John," said Matthew; "but she was olas a cross-grained yan sin the day she came first to Wy'burn."
The schoolmaster, who prides himself on having the fleetest foot in the district, has undertaken to catch a rabbit. Trial of speed is made, and he succeeds in two hundred yards. "Theer's none to match the laal limber Frenchman," says Mattha, "for catching owte frae a rabbit to a slap ower the lug at auld Nicky Stevens's."
"It's the laal Frenchman. Come thy ways in," said Matthew. Rotha, who was coming and going from the kitchen to the larder, found a chair for the schoolmaster, and he slid into it with the air of one who was persuading himself that his late advent was unobserved. "I met that Garth that Joe Garth on the road, and he kept me," whispered Monsey apologetically to Matthew across the table.
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