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Wow man, quo' John, whare hae you been,
Come tell me a' fat ye hae seen.
Na, bide, says Thrummy, till day-light,
And syne I'll tell you hale and right.
Sae baith lay still and took a nap,
Until the ninth hour it did chap.
Thrummy syne raise, put on his claes,
And to the chamber quick he gaes,
Taks out the stane into the wa',
And soon he found the leathern ba';
Took out the Rights, replac'd the stane,
Ere John did ken whar he had been;
Then baith came stapping down the stair,
The morning now was calm and fair.
Weel, quoth the Laird, my trusty frien',
Hae ye ought in our chamber seen?
Quoth Thrummy, Sir, I naething saw
That did me ony ill ava,
Weel, quoth the Laird, ye now may gang,
Ye ken the day's no verra lang;
In the meantime its calm and clear
Ye lose your time in biding here.
Quoth Thrummy, Sir. mind what I tell,
I've mair right here than you yoursel.
Sae till I like I here shall bide,
The Laird at this began to chide:
Says he, my friend, you're turning rude.
Quoth Thrummy, I'll my claim make good,
For here I just before you a',
The Rights o' this Estate can shaw,
And that is mair than ye can do,
What! quo' the Laird, can that be true?
Tis true, quoth Thrummy, look and see,
D'ye think that I would tell a lie.