He was a dreadful fellow for fighting and quarrelling when he got a drop too much, which was rather too often, if the truth must be told; but to this little woman-child his ways were as soft and tender as a woman's: he could burn or warm.
"An' sae ye likit bein' at the ferm best ?" he said.
"Ay.

But ye see my father deid--" "I ken that, my bairn.

The Lord haud a grip o' ye!" It was not often that Peter Whaup indulged in a pious ejaculation.

But this was a genuine one, and may be worth recording for the sake of Annie's answer: "I'm thinkin' he hauds a grip o' us a', Mr Whaup." And then she told him the story about the rats and the cat; for hardly a day passed just at this time without her not merely recalling it, but reflecting upon it.

And the smith drew the back of his hand across both his eyes when she had done, and then pressed them both hard with the thumb and forefinger of his right hand, as if they ached, while his other arm went blowing away as if nothing was the matter but plenty of wind for the forge-fire.