Thence, at his old round pace, we travelled to Cockenzie.

Though they were building herring-busses there at Mrs.Cadell's, it seemed a desert-like, back-going town, about half full of ruined houses; but the ale-house was clean, and Alan, who was now in a glowing heat, must indulge himself with a bottle of ale, and carry on to the new luckie with the old story of the cold upon his stomach, only now the symptoms were all different.
I sat listening; and it came in my mind that I had scarce ever heard him address three serious words to any woman, but he was always drolling and fleering and making a private mock of them, and yet brought to that business a remarkable degree of energy and interest.

Something to this effect I remarked to him, when the good wife (as chanced) was called away.
"What do ye want ?" says he.

"A man should aye put his best foot forrit with the womenkind; he should aye give them a bit of a story to divert them, the poor lambs! It's what ye should learn to attend to, David; ye should get the principles, it's like a trade.

Now, if this had been a young lassie, or onyways bonnie, she would never have heard tell of my stomach, Davie.