“WHEN GREEK MEETS GREEK.”
Dan was leisurely smoking his black cutty-pipe, having “Burke” on his right side, collared and chained, the chain being wound round Dan’s arm, and the flail lying against the wall of the farm-shed at his left, when the Blinkbonny lads, who had been leisurely discussing the plan of attack as they came along, turned off the main road into the Blackbrae farm road.
Rarely has a crowd looked so cowed or so cowardly as this did when they saw Dan. He seemed provokingly unconscious of the change of aspect that took place when they observed him, and said in quite a familiar, off-hand way, with the pipe still in his cheek, “It’s a fine summer nicht for a walk this.”
“Burke” was not quite so neighbourly, for he growled and oggled and strained his chain so much that the crowd instinctively fell back.
Dan spoke to “Burke” very kindly. “What ails ye, Burke? They’s a’ our ain folk, come out for a mouthfu’ o’ fresh air. Tak’ it canny, Burke,—ye needna carry on as if there was mischief gaun on; they’s a’ friends o’ yours, an’ mine, an’ Blackbrae’s, and they’re come out to wish him an’ the new mistress weel.”
Some of the wilder spirits now began to chaff.
“When did you turn a special constable, Dan? Ye’re the last man that ou wad ’a thocht wad ’a spoilt the fun.”
“No’ me,” said Dan, “as mickle fun as ye like—tak’ yer fill o’t. Whare wad folk hae daffin’ [diversion] if no’ at a waddin’? Be ceevil, an’ dinna work mischeef, an’ naebody’ll find fau’t wi’ ye.”
Dan wound up “Burke’s” chain, shouldered the flail, and headed the crowd up to the front door. David came frankly out and thanked them for the compliment. Bell also came to the door in reply to a call for the “mistress.” And Mrs. Brunton followed with a bottle of whisky (pardon the truth, ye teetotallers, for so it was wont in Blinkbonny in those days), and said, “Come awa’, some o’ ye, an’ drink the couple’s health.”
None of the young men answered the invitation. After a pause Dan stepped forward and said: “Will ony o’ you haud ma doug, and I’ll drink their healths?”