“Me!” said the miller, “not I—maybe half an hour after nine.”
“Because it just wants five minutes of eleven,” quoth John Murdoch.
“Five minutes o’ eleven!” cried the miller, “and me no in my bed! Faith, then, frien’, since ye dinna seem for’t yoursel, we’ll just let the yill stan’, and be aff to our nests; sae a gude soun’ sleep to you.”
“And the same to you and yours,” quoth John Murdoch, as he raise and gaed awa wi’ William.
Chapter II.
Next morning the miller’s family were up and out at the usual hour; but John Murdoch, who had wearied himsel the day before, and who hadna, maybe, been used to sae muckle strong yill at ance, lay still; and it was aught o’clock when he cam into the kitchen and bade Jeanie gude mornin’.
“And how’s the gudeman? and is he out or in?”
“How!” cries Jeanie, “he and the lave hae been up and out at their wark three hours syne.”
“And what are ye gaun to be about, my dawtie?” says John Murdoch.
“I’m gaun to wash the kirn,” says Jeanie.