"She said what settled me," said Tammock a little sadly. "I'm thinkin' there's nocht left for't but to tak' Bell Mulwhulter, that has been my housekeeper, as ye ken, for twenty year. But gin I do mak' up my mind to that, it'll be a heartbreak that I didna do it twenty year since. It wad hae saved expense."
"'Deed, I'm nane so sure o' that," said the goodwife, listening with one ear cocked to the muffled laughter in the boys' sleeping-room.
"Thae loons are no' asleep yet," said she, lifting an old flat-heeled slipper and disappearing.
There was a sharp slap-slapping for a minute, mixed with cries of "Oh, mither, it was Alec!" "No, mither, it was Rob!"
Mary appeared at the door presently, breathing as she did when she had half done with the kirning. She set the slipper in the corner to be ready to her hand in case of further need.
"Na, na, Ayrshireman," she said; "it's maybe time aneuch as it is for you to marry Bell Mulwhulter. It's sma' savin' o' expense to bring up a rachle o' bairns."
"Dod, woman, I never thocht a' that," said Tammock. "It's maybe as weel as it is."
"Ay, better a deal. Let weel alane," said the mistress.
"I doot I'll hae to do that ony way noo," said Tammock.
"But what said Tibby o' the Hilltap to ye, Tammock, that ye gied up thochts o' her sae sudden-like?"