thegither again. Come on, Tam, get up!"

"Oh, weel," said Tam with bashful reluctance, "I'll do my best," and
clearing his throat, Tam sang.

"Hear, hear!" roared Black Jock. "That deserves a bumper too, Tammas.
Fill up your glass. An honest dram's afore a' the simperin' Judies that
ever held up their gabs to be kissed!" and filling another round, they
drank, and roared, and cried their appreciation.

The fun waxed fast and furious, as song after song was sung, which
sometimes were capped by a rough story or a questionable joke from
someone in the company.

"But you havena gi'en us a sang yoursel'!" observed Charlie, turning to
Black Jock, after most of the company had obliged with an effort.

"No, I havena gi'en you a sang," he replied with a coarse laugh, "but I
hae paid for a' the drinks, an' I suppose that'll please the maist o'
you better than a dizzen sangs frae me."

"Quite true," said Geordie. "You're a gentleman, an' I never met a
better. I only hope we'll hae the pleesure o' meetin' you here again
afore lang. It's been yin o' the best nichts I hae spent for a lang
time."

"That's true, Geordie," said Charlie. "He has gi'en us yin o' the best
nichts I hae ever spent. In fact I never min' o' haein' a better, an' to
celebrate it, if nane of you hae ony objections, I'll sing anither
sang."

"Hear, hear," cried Walker heartily. "Order for the sang," and he tapped
the table loudly with a bottle, as he called for quietness amid the din.

"Order for the sang, boys!" bawled Geordie, "Charlie is gaun to favor
the company," and as the noise immediately ceased, Charlie sang a song
about the fascinating women.

"That's a guid yin, Charlie," roared Walker, thumping the table as he
roared. "I hae had a lang experience o' weemin' bodies," and he winked
across to Geordie as he spoke, "an' I can say they are rale
blood-suckers. They're like whisky, gran' at the time, but you sing
sorry next day, an' fin' oot what a fool you hae been. They hing on to
you like leeches, an' mak' a mess o' things at the en'. Though you had a
face like a crocodile as long as you had plenty of cash, they'd lick
your feet; when your money's done, they're awa' like swallows at the
first nip o' autumn frost!"

"Ay, it's a dam'd funny world," he went on in a lower tone, as if half
speaking to himself. "A fu' purse an' you've plenty o' frien's, an' a
woman when you need her, but if your purse is toom, your heart may
grien a hell o' a lang