Fiction > Book editions > New York, 1889 - Master of Ballantrae

282 THE MASTER OF BALLANTRAE.
*' I would not talk wicked nonsense if I were you,"
said I ; " but I will tell you what I would do — I would
put my head in cold water, for you had more last night
than you could carry."
"Do ye think that ? " said he, with a manner of inter-
est highly awakened. ''Would that be good for me?
It's a thing I never tried."
" I mind the days when you had no call to try, and
I wish, my lord, that they were back again," said I.
*'But the plain truth is, if you continue to exceed, you
will do yourself a mischief."
*'I don't appear to carry drink the way I used to,"
said my lord. " I get overtaken, Mackellar. But I will
be more upon my guard."
*' That is what I would ask of you," I replied. ''You
are to bear in mind that you are Mr. Alexander's father :
give the bairn a chance to carry his name with some
responsibility."
" Ay, ay," said he. " Ye're a very sensible man,
Mackellar, and have been long in my employ. But I
think, if you have nothing more to say to me, I will be
stepping. If you have nothing more to say ? " he added,
with that burning, childish eagerness that was now so
common with the man.
"No, my lord, I have nothing more," said I, dryly
enough.
"Then I think I will be stepping," says my lord, and
stood and looked at me fidgeting with his hat, which he