or aiblins twa days efter. I'll hae some leiser than.'

Before he had finished speaking he had caught up his awl and begun
to work vigorously, boring his holes as if the nerves of feeling
were continued to the point of the tool, inserting the bristles that
served him for needles with a delicacy worthy of soft-skinned
fingers, drawing through the rosined threads with a whisk, and
untwining them with a crack from the leather that guarded his hands.

'Gude nicht to ye,' said Robert, with the fiddle-case under his arm.

The shoemaker looked up, with his hands bound in his threads.

'Ye're no gaein' to tak her frae me the nicht?'

'Ay am I, but I'll fess her back again. I'm no gaein' to Jericho
wi' her.'

'Gang to Hecklebirnie wi' her, and that's three mile ayont hell.'

'Na; we maun win farther nor that. There canna, be muckle fiddlin'
there.'

'Weel, tak her to the new Jeroozlem. I s' gang doon to Lucky
Leary's, and fill mysel' roarin' fou, an' it'll be a' your wyte
(blame).'

'I doobt ye'll get the straiks (blows) though. Or maybe ye think
Bell 'ill tak them for ye.'