'O he's a--a--gude sort of blackguard fellow eneugh; naebody cares
to trouble him--smuggler, when his guns are in ballast--privateer,
or pirate, faith, when he gets them mounted. He has done more
mischief to the revenue folk than ony rogue that ever came out of
Ramsay.'

'But, my good sir, such being his character, I wonder he has any
protection and encouragement on this coast.'

'Why, Mr. Mannering, people must have brandy and tea, and there's
none in the country but what comes this way; and then there's
short accounts, and maybe a keg or two, or a dozen pounds, left at
your stable-door, instead of a d--d lang account at Christmas from
Duncan Robb, the grocer at Kippletringan, who has aye a sum to
make up, and either wants ready money or a short-dated bill. Now,
Hatteraick will take wood, or he'll take bark, or he'll take
barley, or he'll take just what's convenient at the time. I'll
tell you a gude story about that. There was ance a laird--that's
Macfie of Gudgeonford,--he had a great number of kain hens--
that's hens that the tenant pays to the landlord, like a sort of
rent in kind. They aye feed mine very ill; Luckie Finniston sent
up three that were a shame to be seen only last week, and yet she
has twelve bows sowing of victual; indeed her goodman, Duncan
Finniston--that's him that's gone--(we must all die, Mr.
Mannering, that's ower true)--and, speaking of that, let us live
in the meanwhile, for here's breakfast on the table, and the
Dominie ready to say the grace.'

The Dominie did accordingly pronounce a benediction, that exceeded