"
"Hatched under a hen, and let out for a foretaste."
"And there was one old blackcock."
"That blackcock! There are serious doubts whether it is a phantom
bird, or whether Rory keeps it tame as a decoy. You didn't kill it?"
"No."
"If you had, you might have boasted of an achievement," said Allen.
"The spell would have been destroyed," added Jock. "But you did not
let him finish. Did you say you saw the blackcock?"
"I am not sure; I think I heard it rise once, but the keeper was
always seeing it."
Everybody but Essie was in fits of laughing at Cecil's frank air of
good-humoured, self-defensive simplicity, and Armine observed--
"There's a fine subject for a ballad for the 'Traveller's Joy,'
Babie. 'The Phantom Blackcock of Kilnaught!'"
Babie extemporised at once, amid great applause—-
"The hills are high, the laird's purse dry,
Come out in the morning early;
McNabs are keen, the Guards are green,
The blackcock's tail is curly.
"The Southron's spoil 'tis worthy toil,
Come out in the morning early;
Come take my house and kill my grouse,
The blackcock's tail is curly.
"Come out, come out, quoth Rory stout,
Come out in the morning early,
Sir Captain mark, he rises! hark,
The blackcock's tail is curly.
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