'Was he a guid piper； grannie？'
'What for speir ye that？'
'Because I tauld that sunk； Lumley'
'Ca' naebody names； Robert。 But what richt had ye to be speikin' to
a man like that？'
'He spak to me first。'
'Whaur saw ye him？'
'At The Boar's Heid。'
'And what richt had ye to gang stan'in' aboot？ Ye oucht to ha' gane
in at ance。'
'There was a half…dizzen o' fowk stan'in' aboot； and I bude
（behoved） to speik whan I was spoken till。'
'But ye budena stop an' mak' ae fule mair。'
'Isna that ca'in' names； grannie？'
''Deed； laddie； I doobt ye hae me there。 But what said the fallow
Lumley to ye？'
'He cast up to me that my grandfather was naething but a blin'
piper。'
'And what said ye？'
'I daured him to say 'at he didna pipe weel。'
'Weel dune； laddie！ And ye micht say 't wi' a gude conscience； for
he wadna hae been piper till 's regiment at the battle o' Culloden
gin he hadna pipit weel。 Yon's his kilt hingin' up i' the press i'
the garret。 Ye'll hae to grow； Robert； my man； afore ye fill that。'
'And whase was that blue coat wi' the bonny gowd buttons upo' 't？'
asked Robert； who thought he had discovered a new approach to an
impregnable hold； which he would gladly storm if he could。
'Lat the coat sit。 What has that to do wi' the kilt？ A blue coat
and a tartan kilt gang na weel thegither。'
'Excep' in an auld press whaur naebody sees them。 Ye wadna care；
grannie； wad ye； gin I was to cut aff the bonnie buttons？'
'Dinna lay a finger upo' them。 Ye wad be gaein' playin' at pitch
and toss or ither sic ploys wi' them。 Na； na； lat them sit。'
'I wad only niffer them for bools （exchange them for marbles）。'
'I daur ye to touch the coat or onything 'ither that's i' that
press。'
'Weel； weel； grannie。 I s' gang and get my lessons for the morn。'
'It's time； laddie。 Ye hae been jabberin' ower muckle。 Tell Betty
to come and tak' awa' the tay…things。'
Robert went to the kitchen； got a couple of hot potatoes and a
candle； and carried them up…stairs to Shargar； who was fast asleep。
But the moment the light shone upon his face； he started up； with
his eyes； if not his senses； wide awake。
'It wasna me； mither！ I tell ye it wasna me！'
And he covered his head with both arms； as if to defend it from a
shower of blows。
'Haud yer tongue； Shargar。 It's me。'
But before Shargar could come to his senses； the light of the candle
falling upon the blue coat made the buttons flash confused
suspicions into his mind。
'Mither； mither；' he said； 'ye hae gane ower far this time。 There's
ower mony o' them； and they're no the safe colour。 We'll be baith
hangt； as sure's there's a deevil in hell。'
As he said thus； he went on trying to pick the buttons from the
coat； taking them for sovereigns； though how he could have seen a
sovereign at that time in Scotland I can only conjecture。 But
Robert caught him by the shoulders； and shook him awake with no
gentle hands； upon which he began to rub his eyes； and mutter
sleepily：
'Is that you； Bob？ I hae been dreamin'； I doobt。'
'Gin ye dinna learn to dream quaieter； ye'll get you and me tu into
mair trouble nor I care to hae aboot ye； ye rascal。 Haud the tongue
o' ye； and eat this tawtie； gin ye want onything mair。 And here's a
bit o' reamy cakes tu ye。 Ye winna get that in ilka hoose i' the
toon。 It's my grannie's especial。'
Robert felt relieved after this； for he had eaten all the cakes Miss
Napier had given him； and had had a pain in his conscience ever
since。
'Hoo got ye a haud o' 't？' asked Shargar； evidently supposing he had
stolen it。
'She gies me a bit noo and than。'
'And ye didna eat it yersel'？ Eh； Bob！'
Shargar was somewhat overpowered at this fresh proof of Robert's
friendship。 But Robert was still more ashamed of what he had not
done。
He took the blue coat carefully from the bed； and hung it in its
place again； satisfied now； from the way his grannie had spoken； or；
rather； declined to speak； about it； that it had belonged to his
father。
'Am I to rise？' asked Shargar； not understanding the action。
'Na； na； lie still。 Ye'll be warm eneuch wantin' thae sovereigns。
I'll lat ye oot i' the mornin' afore grannie's up。 And ye maun
mak' the best o't efter that till it's dark again。 We'll sattle a'
aboot it at the schuil the morn。 Only we maun be circumspec'； ye
ken。'
'Ye cudna lay yer han's upo' a drap o' whusky； cud ye； Bob？'
Robert stared in horror。 A boy like that asking for whisky！ and in
his grandmother's house； too！
'Shargar；' he said solemnly； 'there's no a drap o' whusky i' this
hoose。 It's awfu' to hear ye mention sic a thing。 My grannie wad
smell the verra name o' 't a mile awa'。 I doobt that's her fit upo'
the stair a'ready。'
Robert crept to the door； and Shargar sat staring with horror； his
eyes looking from the gloom of the bed like those of a
half…strangled dog。 But it was a false alarm； as Robert presently
returned to announce。
'Gin ever ye sae muckle as mention whusky again； no to say drink ae
drap o' 't； you and me pairt company； and that I tell you； Shargar；'
said he； emphatically。
'I'll never luik at it； I'll never mint at dreamin' o' 't；' answered
Shargar； coweringly。 'Gin she pits 't intil my moo'； I'll spit it
oot。 But gin ye strive wi' me； Bob； I'll cut my throatI will； an'
that'll be seen and heard tell o'。'
All this time； save during the alarm of Mrs。 Falconer's approach；
when he sat with a mouthful of hot potato； unable to move his jaws
for terror； and the remnant arrested half…way in its progress from
his mouth after the biteall this time Shargar had been devouring
the provisions Robert had brought him； as if he had not seen food
that day。 As soon as they were finished； he begged for a drink of
water； which Robert managed to procure for him。 He then left him
for the night； for his longer absence might have brought his
grandmother after him； who had perhaps only too good reasons for
being doubtful； if not suspicious； about boys in general； though
certainly not about Robert in particular。 He carried with him his
books from the other garret…room where he kept them； and sat down at
the table by his grandmother； preparing his Latin and geography by
her lamp； while she sat knitting a white stocking with fingers as
rapid as thought； never looking at her work； but staring into the
fire； and seeing visions there which Robert would have given
everything he could call his own to see； and then would have given
his life to blot out of the world if he had seen them。 Quietly the
evening passed； by the peaceful lamp and the cheerful fire； with the
Latin on the one side of the table； and the stocking on the other；
as if ripe and purified old age and hopeful unstained youth had been
the only extremes of humanity known to the world。 But the bitter
wind was howling by fits in the chimney； and the offspring of a
nobleman and a gipsy lay asleep in the garret； covered with the
cloak of an old Highland rebel。
At nine o'clock； Mrs。 Falconer rang the bell for Betty； and they had
worship。 Robert read a chapter； and his grandmother prayed an
extempore prayer； in which they that looked at the wine when it was
red in the cup； and they that worshipped the woman clothed in
scarlet and seated upon the seven hills； came in for a strange
mixture； in which the vengeance yielded only to the pity。
'Lord； lead them to see the error of their ways；' she cried。 'Let
the rod of thy wrath awake the worm of their conscience that they
may know verily that there is a God that ruleth in the earth。 Dinna
lat them gang to hell； O Lord； we beseech thee。'
As soon as prayers were over； Robert had a tumbler of milk and some
more oat…cake； and was sent to bed； after which it was impossible
for him to hold any further communication with Shargar。 For his
grandmother； little as one might suspect it who entered the parlour
in the daytime； always slept in that same room； in a bed closed in
with doors like those of a large press in the wall； while Robert
slept in a little closet； looking into a garden at the back of the
house； the door of which opened from the parlour close to the head
of his grandmother's bed。 It was just large enough to hold a
good…sized bed with curtains； a chest of drawers； a bureau； a large
eight…day clock； and one chair； leaving in the centre about five
feet square for him to move about in。 There was more room as well
as more comfort in the bed。 He was never allowed a candle； for
light enough came through from the parlour； his grandmother thought；
so he was soon extended between the whitest of cold sheets； with his
knees up to his chin； and his thoughts following his lost father
over all spaces of the earth with which his geography…book had made
him acquainted。
He was in the habit of leaving his closet and creeping through his
grandmother's room before she was awakeor at least before she had
given any signs to the small household that she was restored to
consciousness； and that the life of the house must proceed。 He
therefore found no difficulty in liberating Shargar from his prison；
except what arose from the boy's own unwillingness to forsake his
comfortable quarters for the fierce encounter of the January blast
which awaited him。 But Robert did not turn him out before the last
moment of safety had arrived； for； by the aid of signs known to
himself； he watched the progress of his grandmother's dressingan
operation which did not consume much of the morning； scrupulous as
she was with regard to neatness and cleanlinessuntil Betty was
called in to give her careful assistance to the final disposition of
the mutch； when Shargar's exit could be delayed no longer。 Then he
mounted to the foot of the second stair； and call