“I’ll need Shenac’s help!” It might have been Angus Dhu himself, by the way it was said, Shenac thought. It was ludicrous. Her mother did not seem to see anything ludicrous in it, however; for she only answered,—
“Oh yes, Dan; if it should be fair, I suppose I can wait.” Hamish was busy with his book again.
“It’s a very heavy crop,” continued Dan. “It is all that a man can do to cut yon grass and keep at it steady.”
Of course Dan did not mean to take the credit of the heavy crop to himself, but it sounded exactly as if he did; and there was something exceedingly provoking to Shenac in the way in which he stretched himself up when he said, “all that a man can do.” A laughing glance that came to her over the top of Hamish’s book dispelled her momentary anger, however.
“If Hamish does not mind, I’m sure I need not,” she said to herself.
Dan went on:—“I shall put what I have cut to-day in the long barn. It will be just the thing for the spring’s work.”
Dan’s new-found far-sightedness was too much for the gravity of Hamish, and Shenac joined heartily in the laugh. Dan looked a little discomfited.
“You must settle it with Shenac and your brother,” said the mother.
“All right, Dan, my boy,” said Hamish heartily; “it’s always best to look ahead, as Mr Rugg would say.—What do you think, Shenac?”
“All right; only you should not say ‘my boy’ to our Dan, but ‘my man,’” said Shenac gravely.