_Mr. Havers (disenchanted)._ Wull yon be him in the penk breeks. Man, but he's awfu' stoot for sic wark!
_Mr. McKerr._ The wecht of him's no easy put doon. The rest are boys to him.
_Mr. Parr._ I doot the little dairk fellow'll hae him ... it's a gey sthruggle.
_Mr. McKerr._ He's not doon yet. Wull ye bait sexpence against McBannock, Mester Pairritch?
_Mr. Parr. (promptly)._ Aye, wull I--na, he's got the dairk mon doon. I was jist mindin' the sword-daunce, sae the bait's aff. (_Three men in full Highland costume step upon the platform and stand, proud and impassive, fronting the grand stand, while the judges walk round them, making careful notes of their respective points._) What wull _they_ be aboot?
_Mr. McKerr._ It'll be the prize for the mon who's the best dressed Hielander at his ain expense. I'm thenkin' they'll find it no verra easy to come to a deceesion.
_Mr. Parr._ Deed, it's no sae deeficult; 'twill be the mon in the centre, sure as deith!
_Mr. Havers._ Ye say that because he has a' them gowd maidles hing on his jocket!
_Mr. Parr_. (_loftily_). I pay no attention to the maidles at a'. I'm sayin' that Dougal Macrae is the best dressed Hielander o' the three.
_Mr. Havers._ It'll no be Macrae at a'. Jock McEwan, that's furthest west, 'll be the mon.
_Mr. Parr._ (_dogmatically_). It'll be Macrae, I'm tellin' ye. He has the nicest kelt on him that iver I sa'!
_Mr. Havers._ It's no the _kelt_ that diz it, 'tis jist the way they pit it on. An' Macrae'll hae his tae faur doon, a guid twa enches too low, it is.
_Mr. Parr._ Ye're a' wrang, the kelt is on richt eneugh!
_Mr. Havers._ I know fine hoo a kelt should be pit an, though I'm no Hielander mysel', and I'll ask ye, Mess Rawse, if Dougal Macrae's kelt isn't too lang; it's jist losin his knees a' thegither, like a lassie he looks in it!
[_Miss Rose declines, with some stiffness, to express an opinion on so delicate a point._
_Mr. Parr. (recklessly)._ I'll pit a sexpence on Macrae wi' ye, come noo!
_Mr. Havers._ Na, na, pit cawmpetent jedges on to deceede, and they'll be o' my opeenion; but I'll no bait wi' ye.
_Mr. Parr. (his blood up)._ Then I'll hae a sexpence on 't wi you, Mester McKerrow!
_Mr. McKerr._ Nay, I'm for Macrae mysel'.... An' we're baith in the richt o't too, for they've jist gien him the bit red flag--that means he's got firsst prize.