It is, however, generally agreed that Jamie's most felicitous stroke was his guileless response to the humiliating invitation of a lay preacher, who had secured the use of the Free Kirk, and held a meeting under Milton's auspices.
“Now, my dear friends,” said the good man, a half-pay Indian Colonel, with a suspicion of sunstroke, “all who wish to go to heaven stand up,” and Drumtochty rose in a solid mass, except Lachlan Campbell, who considered the preacher ignorant of the very elements of doctrine, and Jamie, who was making a study of Milton with great enjoyment.
Much cheered by this earnest spirit, the Colonel then asked any Drumtochty man (or woman) who wished to go elsewhere to declare himself after the same fashion.
No one moved for the space of thirty seconds, and the preacher was about to fall back on general exhortation, when Jamie rose in his place and stood with great composure.
“You surely did not understand what I said, my aged friend.”
Jamie indicated that he had thoroughly grasped the Colonel's meaning.
“Do you really mean that you are ready to... go....where I mentioned?”
“A 'm no anxious for sic a road,” said Jamie, blandly, “but a' cudna bear tae see ye stannin' alane, and you a stranger in the pairish,” and Drumtochty, which had been taken unawares and was already repenting a weak concession, went home satisfied.
Hillocks was so drawn to Jamie after this incident that he forgave him his wild views on marriage, and afforded him an opportunity of explaining his hat-band.
“Ye're a body, Jamie,” he said in vague compliment, “an' every man hes his ain wys; but hoo is 't that ye aye hae a band on yir hat?”