“‘Gie you the siller!’ says I; ‘na, na, I’ve dune that lang aneugh—I hae stopped the supplies, my woman.’
“‘Stop your breath!’ cried she; ‘gie me the siller, every farthin’, or wo betide ye!’
“It was needless for her to say every farthin’; for, had I dune as I used to do, I kenned she wad search through every pocket o’ my claes the moment she thocht me asleep—through every hole and corner o’ them, to see if I had cheated her out o’ a single penny—ay, and tak them up, and shake them, and shake them, after a’ was dune. But I was determined to stand fast by your advice.
“‘Do as ye like,’ says I; ‘I’ll bring ye to your senses—I’ve stopped the supplies.’
“She saw that I wasna drunk, and my manner rather dumfoundered her a little. The bairns—wha, as I have tauld you, she aye encouraged to mock me—began to giggle at me, and to mak game o’ me, as usual. I banged out o’ the house, and into the shop, and took down the belt o’ the bit turning-lathe, and into the house I goes again wi’ it in my hand.
“‘Wha maks a fule o’ me now?’
“And they a’ laughed thegither, and I up wi’ the belt, and loundered them round the house and round the house, till ane screamed and anither screamed, and even their mither got clouts in trying to run betwixt them and me; and it was wha to squeel loudest. Sae, after I had brocht them a’ to ken what I was, I awa yont to my mither’s, and gaed her five shillin’s, puir body; and after stoppin’ an hour wi’ her, I gaed back to the house again. The bairns were a’ abed, and some o’ them were still sobbin’, and Tibby was sittin’ by the fire; but she didna venture to say a word—I had completely astonished her—and as little said I.
“There wasna a word passed between us for three days; I was beginning to carry my head higher in the house; and on the fourth day I observed that she had nae tea to her breakfast. A day or twa after, the auldest lassie cam to me ae morning about ten o’clock, and says she—
“‘Faither, I want siller for tea and sugar.’
“‘Gae back to them that sent ye,’ says I, ‘and tell them to fare as I do, and they’ll save the tea and sugar.’