Page:Scott - Tales of my Landlord - 3rd series, vol. 1 - 1819.djvu/304

294 his delight in naval matters, had encouraged the trade of their port by building the pier, (a bulwark of stones rudely piled together), which protected the fishing-boats from the weather, it had been matter of understanding, that he was to have the first stone of butter after the calving of every cow within the barony, and the first egg, thence called the Monday's egg, laid by every hen on every Monday in the year.

The feuars heard and scratched their heads, coughed, sneezed, and being pressed for answer, rejoined with one voice, "they could not say;"—the universal refuge of a Scottish peasant, when pressed to admit a claim which his conscience owns, and his interest inclines him to deny.

Caleb, however, furnished the notables of Wolf's-hope with a note of the requisition of butter and eggs, which he claimed as arrears of the aforesaid subsidy, or kindly aid, payable as above mentioned; and having intimated that he would not be averse to compound the same for goods or money, if it was inconvenient to them to pay in