“You see, Hemlock, hoo wi’ Scotch bodies stick by our hames. Down to the women and bairns, we will fecht to the last gasp to haud them.”
Hemlock said nothing and helped himself to another piece of johnny-cake. The subject, however, had excited Mrs Forsyth, who mingled denunciations of the invaders with regrets at leaving Scotland.
“Toots, woman, Canada is a better country for the puir man than Scotlan.”
“I am no denyin’ that, but eh, there was a couthie security there that’s no here, an’ for a sicht o’ its bonnie howes an’ glens I’d gie onything. The first an’ the last sicht each day frae my faither’s door was the Pentlands, an’ no trees, trees, wi’ snaw an’ ice hauf the year.”
“Ye wadna gae back, mither, for a’ that.”
“Deed would I, gin we a’ went the gither.”
“But ye have aften tell’t me ye wad never cross the sea again, ye were so sick in coming.”
“Na, neither I wad; nae boatie for me.”
“Then, ye canna gang.”
“Hoot, lass, what are ye sayin’; is that a’ ye ken? We could walk roun’.”