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"Because, ye see," pursued John, "I was ae day here i' the gairden an' I was jist graftin' a bonny wull rose buss wi' a Hector o' France an' it grew to be the bonniest rose buss in a' the haul gairden whan the markis, no the auld markis, but my leddy's father, cam' up the walk there, an' a bonny young leddy wi' his lordship, as it micht be yersel's twa an' I beg yer pardon, my leddy, but I'm an auld man noo, an' whiles forgets the differs 'atween fowk an' this yoong leddy 'at they ca'd Miss Cam'ell ye kenned her yersel' efterhin', I daursay, Ma'colm he was unco ta'en with her, the markis, as ilka body cud see ohn luikit that near, sae 'at some saich 'at hoo he hed no richt to gang on wi' her that gait, garrin' her believe, gien he wasna gaein' to merry her.
"I rub't 'm t' wrang way o' t' hair," said the old man, "when I axt 'em what for they were going aboot preaching if it were all settled aforehand who was to be damned and who was to be saved. 'Ye'r a child of the devil, says one. 'Mebbee so, says I, 'and I dunnet know if the devil iver had any other relations; but if so, mebbee yersel's his awn cousin."
"Take a good look at yersel's, kids," he ordered, "an' we'll go up to the Park an' shine around, an' see how ther swells feels, then we'll go down to Sheeny's an' sell 'em." "Sell 'em! Can't we keep 'em?" pitifully demanded Bobs who had never felt warm in winter in all his small life before. "You wouldn't hev 'em long," sneered Buck.
"Because, ye see," pursued John, "I was ae day here i' the gairden an' I was jist graftin' a bonny wull rose-buss wi' a Hector o' France an' it grew to be the bonniest rose-buss in a' the haill gairden whan the markis no the auld markis, but my leddy's father cam' up the walk there, an' a bonny yoong leddy wi' his lordship, as it micht be yersel's twa an' I beg your pardon, my leddy, but I'm an auld man noo, an' whiles forgets the differs atween fowk an' this yoong leddy 'at they ca'd Miss Cam'ell ye kenned her yersel' efterhin', I daur say, Ma'colm he was unco ta'en wi' her, the markis, as ilka body cud see ohn luikit that near, sae 'at some said 'at hoo he hed no richt to gang on wi' her that gait, garrin' her believe, gien he wasna gaein' to merry her.
I say naething aboot Grizzie an' me, wha cud aye tak care o' oorsel's gien we hadna three dowie men to luik efter. We did oor best, but whan a' oor ain siller was awa' efter the lave, we cudna win awa' oorsel's to win mair. Gien you three cud hae dune for yersel's, we wad hae been sen 'in' ye hame something."
"An it's a guid thing," added Saunders, "that there's a new cemetery a-makkin'. There's no room for anither dizzen in yer auld kailyaird onyway an' that I'm tellin' ye. An' I'm promised the new job too. Ye can howk yer ain graves yersel's."
Malcolm, perceiving from the looks of the men that things were as his grandfather had divined, spoke indignantly: "Ye oucht to tak shame to ca' yersel's gentlefowk, an' play a puir blin' man, wha was doin' his best to please ye, sic an ill faured trick."
'Jock, said the little Cockney, 'I 'opes as 'ow everythink will come out orlright. 'By Gar, Scoachie! cried the French-Canadian, 'I am sorree. You are one dam fine feller, Scoachie. 'Dinna worry yersel's, said the man from the North.
"Then, whan we got to the wharf in Halifax, an' I selt ma tawties an' oats, I cam' ashore an' tramped the streets o' Halifax, up hill an' doon dale, till ma new buits are a' worn oot behin', as ye can see for yersel's," and he lifted up his feet, one after the other, that the truth of his words might be verified; then continuing: "It was whan the thiefin' scoon'rels met me an' made ma acquaintance that I gaed wrang; but I never suspected they'd start me on ma travels again, an' withoot ma kennin', tae ay, an' sen' me aff withoot as muckle as a copper in ma pocket, at a', at a'! no even as muckle as wad buy me a bit o' breakfast, which the guid folk at Truro gied me for naethin', an', if it hadna been for them, I don't think I wad ever hae been able to fin' ma way back to ma hame on the farm.
"They brocht him hame, an' laid the corp o' him upo' his ain bed, whaur, I reckon, up til this nicht, he had tried mair nor he had sleepit. An' that verra nicht, wha sud I see but I'm jist gaein' to tell ye a' aboot it, an' hoo it was, an' syne ye can say yersel's. Sin' my ain auld mither dee'd, I haena opent my moo' to mortal upo' the subjec'."
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