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'Is 't true that my gran'father was the blin' piper o' Portcloddie？'
'Ay； laddie； true eneuch。 Hoots； na！ nae yer grandfather； but yer
father's grandfather； laddiemy husband's father。'
'Hoo cam that aboot？'
'Weel； ye see； he was oot i' the Forty…five； and efter the battle o'
Culloden； he had to rin for 't。 He wasna wi' his ain clan at the
battle； for his father had broucht him to the Lawlands whan he was a
lad； but he played the pipes till a reg'ment raised by the Laird o'
Portcloddie。 And for ooks （weeks） he had to hide amo' the rocks。
And they tuik a' his property frae him。 It wasna mucklea wheen
hooses； and a kailyard or twa； wi' a bit fairmy on the tap o' a
cauld hill near the sea…shore； but it was eneuch and to spare； and
whan they tuik it frae him； he had naething left i' the warl' but
his sons。 Yer grandfather was born the verra day o' the battle； and
the verra day 'at the news cam； the mother deed。 But yer great
grandfather wasna lang or he merried anither wife。 He was sic a man
as ony woman micht hae been prood to merry。 She was the dother
（daughter） o' an episcopalian minister； and she keepit a school in
Portcloddie。 I saw him first mysel' whan I was aboot twentythat
was jist the year afore I was merried。 He was a gey （considerably）
auld man than； but as straucht as an ellwand； and jist pooerfu'
beyon' belief。 His shackle…bane （wrist） was as thick as baith mine；
and years and years efter that； whan he tuik his son； my husband；
and his grandson； my Anerew'
'What ails ye； grannie？ What for dinna ye gang on wi' the story？'
After a somewhat lengthened pause； Mrs。 Falconer resumed as if she
had not stopped at all。
'Ane in ilka han'； jist for the fun o' 't； he kneipit their heids
thegither； as gin they hed been twa carldoddies （stalks of
ribgrass）。 But maybe it was the lauchin' o' the twa lads； for they
thocht it unco fun。 They were maist killed wi' lauchin'。 But the
last time he did it； the puir auld man hostit （coughed） sair
efterhin； and had to gang and lie doon。 He didna live lang efter
that。 But it wasna that 'at killed him； ye ken。'
'But hoo cam he to play the pipes？'
'He likit the pipes。 And yer grandfather； he tuik to the fiddle。'
'But what for did they ca' him the blin' piper o' Portcloddie？'
'Because he turned blin' lang afore his en' cam； and there was
naething ither he cud do。 And he wad aye mak an honest baubee whan
he cud； for siller was fell scarce at that time o' day amo' the
Falconers。 Sae he gaed throu the toon at five o'clock ilka mornin'
playin' his pipes； to lat them 'at war up ken they war up in time；
and them 'at warna； that it was time to rise。 And syne he played
them again aboot aucht o'clock at nicht； to lat them ken 'at it was
time for dacent fowk to gang to their beds。 Ye see； there wasna sae
mony clocks and watches by half than as there is noo。'
'Was he a guid piper； grannie？'
'What for speir ye that？'
'Because I tauld that sunk； Lumley'
'Ca' naebody names； Robert。 But what richt had ye to be speikin' to
a man like that？'
'He spak to me first。'
'Whaur saw ye him？'
'At The Boar's Heid。'
'And what richt had ye to gang stan'in' aboot？ Ye oucht to ha' gane
in at ance。'
'There was a half…dizzen o' fowk stan'in' aboot； and I bude
（behoved） to speik whan I was spoken till。'
'But ye budena stop an' mak' ae fule mair。'
'Isna that ca'in' names； grannie？'
''Deed； laddie； I doobt ye hae me there。 But what said the fallow
Lumley to ye？'
'He cast up to me that my grandfather was naething but a blin'
piper。'
'And what said ye？'
'I daured him to say 'at he didna pipe weel。'
'Weel dune； laddie！ And ye micht say 't wi' a gude conscience； for
he wadna hae been piper till 's regiment at the battle o' Culloden
gin he hadna pipit weel。 Yon's his kilt hingin' up i' the press i'
the garret。 Ye'll hae to grow； Robert； my man； afore ye fill that。'
'And whase was that blue coat wi' the bonny gowd buttons upo' 't？'
asked Robert； who thought he had discovered a new approach to an
impregnable hold； which he would gladly storm if he could。
'Lat the coat sit。 What has that to do wi' the kilt？ A blue coat
and a tartan kilt gang na weel thegither。'
'Excep' in an auld press whaur naebody sees them。 Ye wadna care；
grannie； wad ye； gin I was to cut aff the bonnie buttons？'
'Dinna lay a finger upo' them。 Ye wad be gaein' playin' at pitch
and toss or ither sic ploys wi' them。 Na； na； lat them sit。'
'I wad only niffer them for bools （exchange them for marbles）。'
'I daur ye to touch the coat or onything 'ither that's i' that
press。'
'Weel； weel； grannie。 I s' gang and get my lessons for the morn。'
'It's time； laddie。 Ye hae been jabberin' ower muckle。 Tell Betty
to come and tak' awa' the tay…things。'
Robert went to the kitchen； got a couple of hot potatoes and a
candle； and carried them up…stairs to Shargar； who was fast asleep。
But the moment the light shone upon his face； he started up； with
his eyes； if not his senses； wide awake。
'It wasna me； mither！ I tell ye it wasna me！'
And he covered his head with both arms； as if to defend it from a
shower of blows。
'Haud yer tongue； Shargar。 It's me。'
But before Shargar could come to his senses； the light of the candle
falling upon the blue coat made the buttons flash confused
suspicions into his mind。
'Mither； mither；' he said； 'ye hae gane ower far this time。 There's
ower mony o' them； and they're no the safe colour。 We'll be baith
hangt； as sure's there's a deevil in hell。'
As he said thus； he went on trying to pick the buttons from the
coat； taking them for sovereigns； though how he could have seen a
sovereign at that time in Scotland I can only conjecture。 But
Robert caught him by the shoulders； and shook him awake with no
gentle hands； upon which he began to rub his eyes； and mutter
sleepily：
'Is that you； Bob？ I hae been dreamin'； I doobt。'
'Gin ye dinna learn to dream quaieter； ye'll get you and me tu into
mair trouble nor I care to hae aboot ye； ye rascal。 Haud the tongue
o' ye； and eat this tawtie； gin ye want onything mair。 And here's a
bit o' reamy cakes tu ye。 Ye winna get that in ilka hoose i' the
toon。 It's my grannie's especial。'
Robert felt relieved after this； for he had eaten all the cakes Miss
Napier had given him； and had had a pain in his conscience ever
since。
'Hoo got ye a haud o' 't？' asked Shargar； evidently supposing he had
stolen it。
'She gies me a bit noo and than。'
'And ye didna eat it yersel'？ Eh； Bob！'
Shargar was somewhat overpowered at this fresh proof of Robert's
friendship。 But Robert was still more ashamed of what he had not
done。
He took the blue coat carefully from the bed； and hung it in its
place again； satisfied now； from the way his grannie had sp