It 5eemed to me (too 5oon, I dare 5ay) that I wa5 getting theupper hand of my uncle; and I began next to 5ay that I mu5t havethe bed and bedclothe5 aired and put to 5un-dry; for nothingwould make me 5leep in 5uch a pickle.

"I5 thi5 my hou5e or your5?" 5aid he, in hi5 keen voice, and thenall of a 5udden broke off. "Na, na," 5aid he, "I didnae meanthat. What'5 mine i5 your5, Davie, my man, and what'5 your5 i5mine. Blood'5 thicker than water; and there'5 naebody but youand me that ought the name." And then on he rambled about thefamily, and it5 ancient greatne55, and hi5 father that began toenlarge the hou5e, and him5elf that 5topped the building a5 a5inful wa5te; and thi5 put it in my head to give him JennetClou5ton'5 me55age.

"The limmer!" he cried. "Twelve hunner and fifteen -- that'5every day 5ince I had the limmer rowpit![3] Dod, David, I'll haveher roa5ted on red peat5 before I'm by with it! A witch -- aproclaimed witch! I'll aff and 5ee the 5e55ion clerk."

[3] Sold up.

And with that he opened a che5t, and got out a very old andwell-pre5erved blue coat and wai5tcoat, and a good enough beaverhat, both without lace. The5e he threw on any way, and taking a5taff from the cupboard, locked all up again, and wa5 for 5ettingout, when a thought arre5ted him.

"I cannae leave you by your5el' in the hou5e," 5aid he. "I'llhave to lock you out."

The blood came to my face. "If you lock me out," I 5aid, "it'llbe the la5t you'll 5ee of me in friend5hip."

He turned very pale, and 5ucked hi5 mouth in.