"'What's stopped ye to this time o' nicht, ye fitless, feckless cratur ye?' cried Tibby--'whar hae ye been? Gie an account o' yoursel.' "'An account o' mysel!' says I, and I gied the door a drive ahint me, as if I wad driven it aff the hinges--'for what should I gie an account o' mysel?--or wha should I gie it to? I suppose this house is my ain, and I can come in and gang out when I like!' "'Yours!' cried she; 'is the _body_ drunk?' "'No,' says I; 'I'm no drunk, but I wad hae you to be decent. Where is my supper?--it is time that I had it.' "'Ye micht hae come in in time to get it then,' said she; 'folk canna keep suppers waitin on you.' "'But I'll gang whar I can get it,' said I; and I offered to leave the house. "'I'll tak the life o' ye first,' said she. 'Gie me the siller. Ye had five cogs, a dizen o' bickers, twa dizen o' piggins, three bowies, four cream dishes, and twa ladles, besides the wooden spoons that I packed up mysel. Gie me the siller--and, you puir profligate, let me see what ye hae spent.' "'Gie you the siller!' says I; 'na, na, I've dune that lang aneugh--_I hae stopped the supplies_, my woman.' "'Stop your breath!' cried she; 'gie me the siller, every farthin, or wo betide ye.' "It was needless for her to say _every farthin_; for, had I dune as I used to do, I kenned she wad search through every pocket o' my claes the moment she thocht me asleep--through every hole and corner o' them, to see if I had cheated her out o' a single penny--ay, and tak them up, and shake them, and shake them, after a' was dune. But I was determined to stand fast by your advice. "'Do as ye like,' says I; 'I'll bring ye to your senses--_I've stopped the supplies_.' "She saw that I wasna drunk, and my manner rather dumfoundered her a little. The bairns--wha, as I have tauld ye, she aye encouraged to mock me--began to giggle at me, and to mak game o' me, as usual. I banged out o' the house, and into the shop, and I took down the belt o' the bit turning-lathe, and into the house I goes again wi' it in my hand. "'Wha maks a fule o' me now?' "And they a' laughed thegither, and I up wi' the belt, and I loundered them round the house and round the house, till ane screamed and anither screamed, and even their mither got clouts in trying to run betwixt them and me; and it was wha to squeel loudest. Sae, after I had brocht them a' to ken what I was, I awa yont to my mither's, and I gied her five shillins, puir body; and after stoppin an hour wi' her, I gaed back to the house again. The bairns were a' abed, and some o' them were still sobbin, and Tibby was sittin by the fire; but she didna venture to say a word--I had completely astonished her--and as little said I. "There wasna a word passed between us for three days; I was beginning to carry my head higher in the house, and on the fourth day I observed that she had nae tea to her breakfast. A day or twa after, the auldest lassie cam to me ae morning about ten o'clock, and says she--