“Don't yo', Mrs. M'A——”
The rest was lost in the crash of a falling plate; whereat David laughed quietly, and asked if he should help pick up the bits.
On the same evening at the Sylvester Arms an announcement was made that knocked the breath out of its hearers.
In the debate that night on the fast-approaching Dale Trials and the relative abilities of red and gray, M'Adam on the one side, and Tammas, backed by Long Kirby and the rest, on the other, had cudgelled each other with more than usual vigor. The controversy rose to fever-heat; abuse succeeded argument; and the little man again and again was hooted into silence.
“It's easy laffin',” he cried at last, “but ye'll laff t'ither side o' yer ugly faces on Cup Day.”
“Will us, indeed? Us'll see,” came the derisive chorus.
“We'll whip ye till ye're deaf, dumb, and blind, Wullie and I.”
''Yo'll not!''
“We will!”