seven o'clock
I gaed by the washin ' - hoose door twa-three times , an ' heard the spittin ' , an ' the ochin ' an ' ayin ' , an ' some bletherin ' aboot sprentin ' , an ' rubbin ' doon , an ' sic like ; but I cud mak ' nether heid nor tail o ` t. But , I can tell ye , baith heid an ' tail o ' t cam ' oot on Setarday nicht . Sandy , as uswal , put on his goshores on Setarday efternune , an ' awa ' he gaed aboot five o'clock , an ' I saw nae mair o ' him till the lang legs o ' him -- But you 'll learn aboot that sune eneuch . It was a sicht , the first sicht I got o ' him , I can tell you . I was takin ' a bit cuppie o ' tea to mysel ' aboot seven o'clock , for I had been terriple busy a ' forenicht . Nathan was stanin ' at the table as uswal , growk-growkin ' awa ' for a bit o ' my tea biskit . `` I dinna like growkin ' bairns , '' I says to Nathan , juist as I was genna gie him a bit piece an ' some noo grozer jeel o n't . `` I 'm no ' carin ' , '' he says , blawin ' his nose atween his finger an ' his thoom , an ' syne dichti n't wi ' his bonnet .