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"I cannae make heed nor tail of it," he would say, "but it sticks in my mind ye've made a gowk of yourself. There's few people that has had more experience than Alan Breck: and I can never call to mind to have heard tell of a lassie like this one of yours. The way that you tell it, the thing's fair impossible. Ye must have made a terrible hash of the business, David."
"Afraid?" echoed Alf contemptuously. "Tell me what to do, and well, I'd give my life for Bob!" "That's as it should be," returned Mackintosh approvingly. "'Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friend. I would offer to do this myself, only I'm a great heavy gowk, and Haggis is no' much better. But you're light as a feather compared with us.
Cathro, you pain me by holding back; I assure you I esteem my old Dominie more than ever for the way in which you stuck up for Captain Ure, though you must see why I could not drink that gentleman's health." And Mr. Cathro made the best of it, wringing Tommy's hand effusively, while muttering, "Fool, donnard stirk, gowk!"
I was naturally diffident to give particulars; and this disposition was not anyway lessened by the nature of Alan's commentary upon those I gave. "I cannae make head nor tail of it," he would say, "but it sticks in my mind ye've made a gowk of yourself.
As for me, my temper had flared up like the burning of a loose charge of powder, and by instinct my right hand sought the handle of the mate's hanger. The beldame saw the motion. "An' hae ye murder't MacMuir, John Paul, an' gien's claw to a Buckskin gowk?" The knot stirred with an angry murmur: in truth they meant violence, nothing less.
I here inclose you my "Scotch Drink," and "may the deil follow with a blessing for your edification." I hope, sometime before we hear the gowk, to have the pleasure of seeing you at Kilmarnock, when I intend we shall have a gill between us, in a mutchkin-stoup; which will be a great comfort and consolation to, dear Sir, your humble servant, ROBERT BURNESS.
I looked at the Bailie, who acknowledged, in a whisper, "that the gowk had some reason for singing, ance in the year." Meantime a staring half-clad wench or two came out of the inn and the neighbouring cottages, on hearing the sound of our horses' feet.
She heard a murmur of voices, and then Archie returned with two men, who entered the room and stood before Madame in the light of the lamp. ''Tis two men fra that wudden-legged gowk o' a Slivers, said Archie, respectfully. 'Ain o' them has a wee bit letter for ye' turning to receive same from the foremost man.
I'll have no time for ill company. I'm no to be an idle gowk like Clifton Holt, to throw away my chances. And here's Katie ay to take care of me and keep me out of mischief." "My lad, speak no ill of your neighbours. You'll need all the sense you have before you get far through the world.
The first night, when I went down to my supper, I asked Dorothy who had been playing music, and James said very shortly that I was a gowk to take the wind soughing among the trees for music; but I saw Dorothy look at him very fearfully, and Bessy, the kitchen-maid, said something beneath her breath, and went quite white.
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