As Robert departed, Peter Ogg came in, and as he passed the window, he heard the shoemaker averring:
'I haena risen frae my stule sin' ane o'clock; but there's a sicht to be dune to them, Mr. Ogg.'
Indeed, Alexander ab Alexandro, as Mr. Innes facetiously styled him, was in more ways than one worthy of the name of Dooble. There seemed to be two natures in the man, which all his music had not yet been able to blend.
CHAPTER X. ANOTHER DISCOVERY IN THE GARRET.
Little did Robert dream of the reception that awaited him at home. Almost as soon as he had left the house, the following events began to take place.
The mistress's bell rang, and Betty 'gaed benn the hoose to see what she cud be wantin',' whereupon a conversation ensued.
'Wha was that at the door, Betty?' asked Mrs. Falconer; for Robert had not shut the door so carefully as he ought, seeing that the deafness of his grandmother was of much the same faculty as her blindness.
Had Robert not had a hold of Betty by the forelock of her years, he would have been unable to steal any liberty at all. Still Betty had a conscience, and although she would not offend Robert if she could help it, yet she would not lie.
''Deed, mem, I canna jist distinckly say 'at I heard the door,' she answered.
'He's generally up the stair aboot this hoor, mem--that is, whan he's no i' the parlour at 's lessons.'
'What gangs he sae muckle up the stair for, Betty, do ye ken? It's something by ordinar' wi' 'm.'
''Deed I dinna ken, mem. I never tuik it into my heid to gang considerin' aboot it. He'll hae some ploy o' 's ain, nae doobt. Laddies will be laddies, ye ken, mem.'
'I doobt, Betty, ye'll be aidin' an' abettin'. An' it disna become yer years, Betty.'
'My years are no to fin' faut wi', mem. They're weel eneuch.'
'That's naething to the pint, Betty. What's the laddie aboot?'
'Do ye mean whan he gangs up the stair, mem?'
'Weel, mem, I tell ye I dinna ken. An' ye never heard me tell ye a lee sin' ever I was i' yer service, mem.'
'Na, nae doonricht. Ye gang aboot it an' aboot it, an' at last ye come sae near leein' that gin ye spak anither word, ye wad be at it; and it jist fleys (frights) me frae speirin' ae ither question at ye. An' that's hoo ye win oot o' 't. But noo 'at it's aboot my ain oye (grandson), I'm no gaein' to tyne (lose) him to save a woman o' your years, wha oucht to ken better; an sae I'll speir at ye, though ye suld be driven to lee like Sawtan himsel'.--What's he aboot whan he gangs up the stair? Noo!'