“Ye garred me loup, my leddy!” he returned with a smile and an obeisance.
“You told me,” the girl went on emphatically, and as she spoke she disengaged her watch from her girdle, “that you fired it at six o’clock. It is not nearly six.”
“Didna ye hear the pipes, my leddy?” he rejoined.
“Yes, well enough; but a whole regiment of pipes can’t make it six o’clock when my watch says ten minutes past five.”
“Eh, sic a braw watch!” exclaimed Malcolm. “What’s a’ thae bonny white k-nots aboot the face o’ ’t?”
“Pearls,” she answered, in a tone that implied pity of his ignorance.
“Jist look at it aside mine!” he exclaimed in admiration, pulling out his great old turnip.
“There!” cried the girl; “your own watch says only a quarter past five.”
“Ow, ay! my leddy; I set it by the toon clock ’at hings i’ the window o’ the Lossie Airms last nicht. But I maun awa’ an’ luik efter my lines, or atween the deil an’ the dogfish my lord’ll fare ill.”
“You haven’t told me why you fired the gun,” she persisted.