Mistress Fraser held up her hands.
"Of a' the deceitfu', hidin', unneighbourly craiturs," said Mistress Fraser, "Mirren Terregles is the warst—an' me to hae drank my tea wi' her only last week. I'll wager if I live to hae fifty bairns——"
"The Lord forbid," said her husband, unexpectedly, from the doorway. "We hae plenty as it is——"
"And wha's faut's that?" cried his wife over her shoulder. "Oh the deceitfu' randy——"
"In fact," said Muckle Alick, dropping another word in, "there's twa laddies—and a lassie!"
Mistress Fraser sat down quite suddenly.
"Gie me a drink frae the water can, Tam!" she said; "haste ye fast, Alick's news has gi'en me a turn. Twa laddies and a lassie—I declare it's a Queen's bounty! Preserve me, it's no a cradle ye want, man, but a mill happer! A time or twa like this, and ye'll hae to plant taties in the front yaird—ye will hae to pay soundly for your ploy at this rate, my man. Three at a whup disna gang wi' cancy-lairies in the cabbage plots, my lad."
"It's a maist notoriously curious thing," began Tam Fraser, unexpectedly, "that I saw Mirren carryin' twa cans o' water this very mornin'——"
Muckle Alick gave him a warning look, which made him catch his next unspoken sentence as a wicket-keeper holds the ball before the field has seen it leave the bat.
"But—but she didna look weel——" added Tam.