Walter, who, during this conversation, was sitting in his father’s easy chair, that had, among other chattels, been removed from Grippy,—swinging backward and forwards, and occasionally throwing glances towards the visitors, said,—
‘And is my Betty Bodle to be there?’
‘O yes,’ replied George, glad to escape from his mother’s remarks; ‘and you’ll be quite delighted to see her. She is uncommonly tall for her age.’
‘I dinna like that,’ said Walter; ‘she should na hae grown ony bigger,—for I dinna like big folk.’
‘And why not?’
‘’Cause ye ken, Geordie, the law’s made only for them; and if you and me had ay been twa wee brotherly laddies, playing on the gowany brae, as we used to do, ye would ne’er hae thought o’ bringing yon Cluty’s claw frae Enbro’ to prove me guilty o’ daftness.’
‘I’m sure, Watty,’ said George, under the twinge which he suffered from the observation, ‘that I could not do otherwise. It was required from me equally by what was due to the world and to my mother.’
‘It may be sae,’ replied Walter; ‘but, as I’m daft, ye ken I dinna understand it;’ and he again resumed his oscillations.
After some further conversation on the subject of the proposed visit, in which George arranged that he should call on Monday for his mother and Walter in the carriage, and take them out to the country with him, he took his leave.