“What sort are their leaders?” “Guid, respectable fowk, my lord.” “Then there’s not much harm in _them_?” “There’s nane but what they wad fain be rid o’. I canna say as muckle for a’ ’at hings on to them. There’s o’ them, nae doobt, wha wad fain win to h’aven ohn left their sins ahin’ them; but they get nae encouragement frae Maister MacLeod. Blue Peter, ’at gangs oot wi’ ’s i’ yer lordship’s boat--he’s ane o’ their best men-- though he never gangs ayont prayin’, I’m tauld.” “Which is far enough, surely,” said his lordship, who, belonging to the Episcopal church, had a different idea concerning the relative dignities of preaching and praying. “Ay, for a body’s sel’, surely; but maybe no aye eneuch for ither fowk,” answered Malcolm, always ready after his clumsy fashion. “Have you been to any of these meetings?” “I was at the first twa, my lord.” “Why not more?” “I didna care muckle aboot them, an’ I hae aye plenty to du. Besides, I can get mair oot o’ Maister Graham wi’ twa words o’ a queston nor the haill crew o’ them could tell me atween this an’ eternity.” “Well, I am going to trust you,” said the marquis slowly, with an air of question rather than of statement. “Ye may du that, my lord.” “You mean I may with safety?” “I div mean that same, my lord.” “You can hold your tongue then?” “I can, an’ I wull my lord,” said Malcolm; but added in haste, “-- ’cept it interfere wi’ ony foregane agreement or nat’ral obligation.” It must be borne in mind that Malcolm was in the habit of discussing all sorts of questions with Mr Graham: some of the formulæ wrought out between them he had made himself thoroughly master of. “By Jupiter!” exclaimed the marquis, with a pause of amusement. “Well,” he went on, “I suppose I must take you on your own terms. --They’ve been asking me to put a stop to these conventicles.” “Wha has, my lord?” “That’s my business.” “Lat it be nae ither body’s, my lord.” “That’s my intention. I told him I would go and judge for myself.” “Jist like yer lordship!” “What do you mean by that?” “I was aye sure ye was for fair play, my lord.” “It’s little enough I’ve ever had,” said the marquis. “Sae lang ’s we gie plenty, my lord, it maitters less hoo muckle we get. A’ body likes to get it.” “That doctrine won’t carry you far, my lad.” “Far eneuch, gien ’t cairry me throu’, my lord.” “How absolute the knave is!” said his lordship good humouredly. “-- Well, but,” he resumed, “--about these fishermen: I’m only afraid Mr Cairns was right.” “What said he, my lord?” “That, when they saw me there, they would fit their words to my ears.” “I ken them better nor ony black-coat atween Cromarty an’ Peterheid; an’ I can tell yer lordship there winna be ae word o’ differ for your bein’ there.” “If only I could be there and not there both at once! There’s no other sure mode of testing your assertion. What a pity the only thorough way should be an impossible one!”