"This is a bonny racket, girls. I don't know what to make of it. I think
you'll better make it up."
"Never!" cried Jean stoutly. "Ellen and Gladys and me's never to speak
to them again; are'n we no, Ellen?"
"Never!" cried Ellen.
"No if they were to gang doon on their bended knees!" declared Gladys.
"That's awkward for you, Jean," I said. "Do you mean to tell me that you
won't speak to Jan when you are sleeping together?"
"Aw'll just gie her a dig in the ribs wi' my elbow to mak her lie ower,
but Aw'll no open my mooth."
"And what if your mother says to you: 'Jean, tell Janet to feed the
hens?'"
"Aw'll just hand her the corn-dish and point to the henhoose."
"And put oot my tongue at her," she added.
"Jean," I said suddenly, "I'll bet you a shilling that you are speaking
to Jan and Annie by to-morrow night at four."
"Aw dinna hae a shillin'," she said ruefully, "but Aw bet ye a hapenny
Aw'm no!"
* * *
To-night Jean came running up to me when school was dismissed.
"Gie's my hapenny!" she cried; "Aw didna speak to Annie and Janet a'
day!"
"Honest?"
"It's true," said Ellen, "isn't it Gladys?"
"Then I'll pay up my debt of honour," I said, and I held out a ha'penny.
Jean took it, and then she set off round the steading in great haste.
She returned with her arms round Janet and Annie.
"Aw got Bets Burnett to tell them aboot the ha'penny," she confessed,
"and to speer them no to speak to me a' day and Aw wud gie them a bit o'
sugarelly."
"You scheming besom!" I cried and I laid her on my bothy table and sat
on her.
"Eh! Jean!" said Gladys, "if only ye had said ye wud bet a shillin'!"
"Dear me," I said hastily, "when I come to think of it I did bet a
shilling. Jean bet a hapenny, but I distinctly remember saying that I
was betting a shilling. Here you are, Jean!" but Jean refused it with
indignation. Not one of them would touch it.
"Right!" I cried. "I'm going down to get cigarettes. Who's coming?"
I spent a shilling on sweets and chocolate. No one would accept a single
sweetie.
"I'll give myself toothache if I eat them," I said. They paid no heed.
"I won't invite one of you to my marriage if you don't take them." They
wavered, but did not give way.
"All right," I said with an air of great determination, "here goes!" and
I tossed the bag into the field. They made no sign of interest, and we
walked up the brae. Jim Jackson was coming down with his milk.
"Jim," I began, "if you go down to that first gate, and look over the
hedge you'll find--"