Cosmo, by gie ower muckle tether to wull thoucht, an' someday ye'll be laid i' the dub, followin' what has naither sense intil't, nor this warl's gude.
-- What was ye thinkin' aboot the noo ?--Tell me that, an' Is' lat ye gang." "I was thinkin' aboot the burnie, gran'mamma." "It wad be tellin' ye to lat the burnie rin, an' stick to yer buik, laddie!" "The burnie wull rin, gran'mamma, and the buik 'ill bide," said Cosmo, perhaps not very clearly understanding himself.
"Ye're gettin' on to be a man, noo," said his grandmother, heedless of the word of his defence, "an' ye maun learn to put awa' bairnly things.

There's a heap depen'in' upo' ye, Cosmo.

Ye'll be the fift o' the name i' the family, an' I'm feart ye may be the last.

It's but sma' honour, laddie, to ony man to be the last; an' gien ye dinna gaither the wit ye hae, and du the best ye can, ye winna lang be laird o' Glenwarlock.

Gien it wasna for Grizzie there, wha has no richt to owerhear the affairs o' the family, I micht think the time had come for enlichtenin' ye upo' things it's no shuitable ye should gang ignorant o'.