A likely laddie he was.

His mither and I spent many a lang evening dreaming of his future and what micht be coming his way.
"He'll ne'er ha' to work as a laddie as his faither did before him," I used to say.

"He shall gang to schule wi' the best in the land." It was the wife had the grandest dream o' all.
"Could we no send him to the university ?" she said.

"I'd gie ma een teeth, Harry, to see him at Cambridge!" I laughed at her, but it was with a twist in the corners o' ma mooth.
There was money coming in regular by then, and there was siller piling up in the bank.

I'd nowt to think of but the wee laddie, and there was time enow before it would be richt to be sending him off--time enow for me to earn as muckle siller as he micht need.