CHAPTER VII.
Cher. That story of our captain's is rather an odd story. Is it not, Mark?
Mark. Rather of the wonderful.
Ford.
"I dinna ken but I could maybe tell ye something about him an I liket," said Tam Craik; "but I wad maybe be as wise to haud my tongue."
"I wad like very weel to hear mair about him," said Charlie; "for his life has had such a queer beginning, it maun surely hae had a queer end."
"But what an it shouldna be endit yet, Yardbire," said Tam: "Marion's Jock is perhaps living, and life-like, to tell his ain tale. However, we'll say nae mair about that just now, till you tell us what you think o' Gibbie Jordan's tale. For my part, I never heard a tale I was sae muckle interested in a' my life."
"It is ane o' the best tales o' the kind that ever I heard," said Charlie.
"It is a most abominable tale," said the poet.
"In what way, Master Poet?" said Charlie: "I dinna like to hear ony body condemned without reason."
"It is for the badness of the moral that I do it dislike," said the poet: "The moral is so truly bad, all mankind it must must shock; it is to kill this harmless lamb, the flower of all the flock,—to feed upon her lovely form that's fairer than the snow,—to eat her flesh and drink her blood! It makes mine eyes to flow!"
"Gude faith, an I thought that war his drift, I wad brain him," said Charlie; "and I confess it looks rather like it."
"There can be no doubt of it," said Master Michael Scott: "The maid Delany is the favourite lamb, whom he wishes you to kill and feast on in the same delicious manner as did the hero of his tale; and I am the goodman whom you are to stick afterwards, and fairly make your escape."
"It is a shocking tale I really doubt," said Charlie; "and throws a disgrace and an imputation o' something unseemly on my chief and a' his friends, and I winna put up wi' it."
"I do propose that from the walls the caitiff we do throw," said the poet; "or kill and eat for dainty meat the laird of Peatstacknowe."
"I fear if the votes were to be ta'en just now he wad hae an ill chance," said Charlie: "But it's fair in ha' where beards wag a'. Let ilk ane of us hae a fair chance. There may be mae bad morals amang us. Wha's turn is't next?"
Charlie himself, being next in point of seniority, was called on for his tale.
"I hae been thinking hard what tale I should tell you," said Charlie; "but I find I can tell nought but the thing I hae seen, and I'll be pinched sair eneuch to make sense o' that. Therefore, gin ye like, I'll tell ye my first adventure in war,—for I aye mind it the best, and will do as lang as I live."