"I thocht ye kent the shape o' her teeth, man. Jist gie Scrumpie there a dig i' the ribs."
"What are ye efter, Divot? I'll gie ye a cloot o' the lug," growled
Scrumpie.
"Hoot man! The General wants ye."
The General was Alec's nickname.
"What is't, General?"
"Do ye ken Juno?"
"Hang the bitch! I ken her ower weel. She took her denner aff o' ane o' my hips, ae day last year."
"Jist creep ower to Cadger there, and speir gin he kens Juno. Maybe he's forgotten her."
Cadger's reply was interrupted by the interference of the master, but a pantomimic gesture conveyed to the General sufficient assurance of the retentiveness of Cadger's memory in regard to Juno and her favours. Such messages and replies, notwithstanding more than one licking, kept passing the whole of the morning.
Now Juno was an animal of the dog kind, belonging to Robert Brace. She had the nose and the legs of a bull-dog, but was not by any means thorough-bred, and her behaviour was worse than her breed. She was a great favourite with her master, who ostensibly kept her chained in his back-yard for the protection of his house and property. But she was not by any means popular with the rising generation. For she was given to biting, with or without provocation, and every now and then she got loose—upon sundry of which occasions she had bitten boys. Complaint had been made to her owner, but without avail; for he only professed great concern, and promised she should not get loose again, which promise had been repeatedly broken. Various vows of vengeance had been made, and forgotten. But now Alec Forbes had taken up the cause of humanity and justice: for the brute had bitten Annie, and she could have given no provocation.