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 these poor helpless people, you will oblige E. B."

It was a few instants before he could attain composure enough to ask, "And what is your object, Cuddie? and how can I be of use to you?"

"Wark, stir, wark, and a service is my object—a bit beild for my mother and mysel—we hae gude plenisbing o' our ain, if we had the cast o' a cart to bring it down—and milk and meal, and greens enow, for I'm gay gleg at meal time, and sae is my mother, lang may it be sae— And, for the penny-fee and a' that, I'll just leave it to the laird and you. I ken ye'll no see a poor lad wranged, if ye can help it."

Morton shook his head. "For the meat and lodging, Cuddie, I think I can promise something, but the penny-fee will be a hard chapter, I doubt."

"I'll tak my chance o't, stir, rather than gang down about Hamilton, or ony sic far country."