"Let me tell 'im, Jan!" I heard Annie cry, but Jan tore herself from restraining arms and was first to come up. "The Mester's gotten a little baby!" cried Janet. "Janet's wrang!" cried Annie; "it's no the Mester: it's his wife!" I tried to look my surprise. "And did you congratulate him, Jan?" I asked. Janet tittered. "He took an awfu' reid face when he cam in this mornin', did'n he, Jean?" "Aye, and he was grumpy a' day. He was ay frownin' at a' body. We cudna help his wife haein' a bairn!" "He looked as if he was angry at his wife haein' the bairn," said Barbara. I recalled my conjecture that he would try to give the bairns the impression that he had nothing whatever to do with the affair, and I laughed uproariously. I suddenly realised that Gladys was asking me a question. "Eh? What's that, Gladys?" "I was speerin' if you and Maggie are to hae a bairn?" Janet gasped and cried: "Oh, Gladys!" and Jean cried: "Look at Maggie blushin'!" "Certainly!" I said with a laugh, "a dozen of them, won't we, Margaret?" "Bairns is just a scunner," said Sarah. "Ye'll hae to stop yer typewriter or ye'll waken them." "That's awkward, Sarah," I said, "for if I stop my typewriter I'll starve them." "The Mester'll hae a big hoose," said Jean, "and he'll type his letters in the parlour and Maggie'll rock the cradle in the kitchen, winna ye, Maggie?" "Perhaps," I suggested, "Jim Jackson will be able to invent a patent that will enable me to rock the cradle as I strike the keys." "Aye," said Janet with scorn, "and kill the bairn! Aw wudna trust Jim Jackson wi' ony bairn o' mine ... him and his inventions!" "Ye'll mak a nice father," said Gladys, and she put her arm round my neck. "Ye'll spoil yer bairns," said Ellen. She turned to Margaret. "Maggie, dinna let him tak chairge o' them, or he'll mak them catch minnows a' day instead o' learnin' their lessons." "G'wa, Ellen," cried Sarah, "they're no married yet! And ye dinna get bairns till ye're married a gey lang time." "Some fowk has them afore they get married," said Barbara thoughtfully, and I chuckled when I saw how the others looked at her. Disapproval was writ large on their faces. "Ye shudna mention sic things afore Maggie!" said Janet in a stage whisper, and I had to hold my sides. Margaret could not keep her gravity either, and she laughed immoderately. Later they pleaded with me to tell them when the wedding was to take place. I told them that I did not know, but that it would be soon, and I promised to invite them all. "But no Mester Macdonald!" said Jean. "Aw wudna feel so free wi' him there." I told them of the widower whose friends tried to persuade him to take his mother-in-law with him in the front funeral coach. After some persuasion he said resignedly: "Verra weel, then; but it'll spoil my day." Then I sent them home. * * *