"Hi, Grant! you can show him how to take away."
"Are you going to open these gates, sir, and let us in?" cried the
bailiff, as soon as a hearty laugh had subsided.
"No."
"Are you going to tell your men to open, then?"
"No, I'm not."
"Do you know that you are resisting the law, young sir?"
"No, but I know I'm resisting you."
"By this paper I have proper warrant to take possession of all here."
"Have you? Well, I don't care what warrant you have. My father's out,
and I'm not going to let a set of ragged-looking Southroners come and do
what they please in Dunroe."
"I tell you, I have a proper warrant for taking possession."
"Then put it back in your pocket, and come again when my father's at
home."
"Look here, me laddie, it'll be a bad day's wark for ye, if ye resist
the law."
"You be off, and come again when my father's at home, I tell you."
"I've come a' these lang miles, me laddie, and I'm no' gaeing back
wi'out takking possession. Noo, ance mair, will ye open the gates?"
"No."
"Then we must break them in."
"Mind we don't break your head in, then, that's all."
"If ye daur!"
"Oh, we daur. Don't we, Scood?"
"Oh ay," roared the young gillie.
The bailiff walked back to his men, whispered a few orders, and then
turned once more to Kenneth, who was standing now well in sight on the
crumbling battlements, with Max by his side.
"Noo, my laddie, let's hae a' this bet o' besness settled doucely.
Ye'll come doon and open the gates?"
"No surrender!" cried Kenneth.
"Ye'll hae the gates opened?"
"No; so blow your trumpet again. Defiance! There!"
He took a clean aim with a great potato; and the bailiff had to dodge
the shot very sharply, to avoid receiving the blow on his cheek.
But the shot was not wasted, for a man behind had it full in the chest,
and a shout arose.
"That will do!" cried the bailiff. "You've struck a blow, so you must
put up with the consequences. Noo, my lads, come on!"