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An' the warder upo' the heich tooer declared 'at ever sin' midnicht the prence's menyie, the haill twal o' them, was careerin' aboot the castel, noon' an noon', wi' the een o' their beasts lowin', and their heids oot, an' their manes up, an their tails fleein' ahint them.
Enox Kirk, till it chappit twal, whilk was a lawfu' hour to gie a look at my ledger, just to see how things stood between us; and then, as time and tide wait for no man, I made the lass get the lantern, and came slipping my ways here to see what can be dune anent your affairs.
"I've telled you that we found out wha he was, and 'deed he made no secret of it. Up to the time he was twal year auld he had been a kent face in that part, for his mither was a Cullew woman called Mag Sandys, ay, and a single woman.
Moore," Teddy was saying, "and says he, 'I'll gie ye twal' pun for yon gray dog o' yourn. 'Ah, says Moore, 'yo' may gie me twal' hunner'd and yet you'll not get ma Bob. Eh, Jim?" "And he did thot," corroborated Jim. "'Twal' hunner'd, says he." "James Moore and his dog agin" snapped M'Adam. "There's ithers in the warld for bye them twa." "Ay, but none like 'em," quoth loyal Jim.
Ben counted out upon his fingers the numberless advantages. Second, the size o' the chickens for table, each hen the weight o' a turkey. Third, for speculation. Let the neebors buy, and she could realize sixty dollar on the brood o' twal' chicks; for they fetched ten dollar the pair, and could be had for nae less onywheres. Every hen wad hae twa broods at the smallest."
A dinner was given in honor of the occasion at our Consul's. It was a splendid affair, several lady residents of Hong-Kong gracing the board with their presence. The gentlemen kept it up long after they had retired, and the union of the States was cemented, representatives from nearly all being present, amongst the hours "Ayont the twal."
On one occasion my father and a few choice spirits had been spending a "nicht wi' Burns." The place of resort was a tavern in the High Street, Edinburgh. As Burns was a brilliant talker, full of spirit and humour, time fled until the "wee sma' hours ayont the twal'" arrived. The party broke up about three o'clock. Burns, on reaching the street, looked up to the sky.
"And are things no better," asked Cosmo, "since the present lord succeeded?" "No a hair 'cep' it be 'at there's no sae mony ill words fleein' aboot the place. My lord never sets his nose intil the gairden, or speirs no ance in a twal month, hoo's things gangin' on.
"And, by her sooth, when you do, an it were twal o' the Sunday at e'en, she'll fling her keys at the provost's head or she gie them anither turn, and that or ever Monday morning begins see if she winna."
If it had occurred to any of the burghal authorities, it had only provoked the reflection that Jock would most likely be discussing a pint or two at Lucky Forgan's down by the Brigend, and that presently he would be perambulating the streets of the royal borough, his halbert over his shoulder, and intoning his song "Twal' o'clock on the strike, And a fine fresh nicht."
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