Page:Scott - Tales of my Landlord - 3rd series, vol. 1 - 1819.djvu/260

250 the Master, sternly—"put the horses into the stable, and interrupt us no more with your absurdities."

"Your honour's pleasure is to be obeyed aboon a' things," said Caleb; "nevertheless, as for the sack and tokay which it is not your noble guest's pleasure to accept"—

But here the voice of Bucklaw, heard even above the clattering of hoofs and braying of horns with which it mingled, announced that he was scaling the pathway to the tower at the head of the greater part of the gallant hunting train.

"The de'il be in me," said Caleb, taking heart in spite of this new invasion of Philistines, "if they shall beat me yet. The hellicat ne'er-do-weel!—to bring such a crew here, that will expect to find brandy as plenty as ditch-water, and he kenning sae absolutely the case in whilk we stand for the present. But I trow, could I get rid of these gaping gowks of flunkies that hae won into the court-yard at the back of