"Ay, ay, mem. Tak' him wi' ye. But caw cannie, ye ken, or ye'll gie me
a deevil o' a job wi' 'm."
With a smile to Cupples, Alec led the way.
He would have told his mother almost everything if she had been genial.
As she was, he contented himself with a general confession that he had
been behaving very badly, and would have grown ten times worse but for
Mr Cupples, who was the best friend that he had on earth.
"Better than your mother, Alec?" she asked, jealously.
"I was no kith or kin of his, and yet he loved me," said Alec.
"He ought to have behaved more like a gentleman to me."
"Mother, you don't understand Mr Cupples. He's a strange creature. He
takes a pride in speaking the broadest Scotch, when he could talk to
you in more languages than you ever heard of, if he liked."
"I don't think he's fit company for you anyhow. We'll change the
subject, if you please."
So Alec was yet more annoyed, and the intercourse between mother and
son was forced and uncomfortable. As soon as she retired to rest, Alec
bounded up stairs again.
"Never mind my mother," he cried. "She's a good woman, but she's vexed
with me, and lets it out on you."
"Mind her!" answered Mr Cupples; "she's a verra fine woman; and she may
say what she likes to me.
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