It's well kent that I'm no more fit to bring up bairns than to have them (dinna conter me, man, for the thing was proved lang syne at the Cuttle Well), and so till that time I'll let him gang his ain gait.

But if he doesna carry a bursary, to the herding he goes.

I've said it and I'll stick to it." So, as far as Aaron was concerned, Tommy was left in peace to the glory of collecting his winnings from those who had sworn by Cathro, and among them was Master Gavin Ogilvy Dishart, who now found himself surrounded by a debt of sixpence, a degrading position for the son of an Auld Licht minister.
Tommy would not give him time, but was willing to take his copy of "Waverley" as full payment.
Gavin offered him "Ivanhoe" instead, because his mother had given a read of "Waverley" to Gavinia, Miss Ailie's servant, and she read so slowly, putting her finger beneath each word, that she had not yet reached the middle.

Also, she was so enamoured of the work that she would fight anyone who tried to take it from her.
Tommy refused "Ivanhoe," as it was not about Jacobites, but suggested that Gavinia should be offered it in lieu of "Waverley," and told that it was a better story.
The suggestion came too late, as Gavinia had already had a loan of "Ivanhoe," and read it with rapture, inch by inch.

However, if Tommy would wait a month, or-- Tommy was so eager to read more about the Jacobites that he found it trying to wait five minutes.