cock of the pit? why, I am thy very Achates, man, as I have heard scholars say—hand and glove—bark and tree—thine to life and death."
"I'll try that in a moment," said Bucklaw. "Thou art never without money, however thou comest by it.—Lend me two pieces to wash the dust out of these honest fellows' throats, in the first place, and then"
"Two pieces?"—twenty are at thy service, my lad—and twenty to back them."
"Aye—say you so?" said Bucklaw, pausing, for his natural penetration led him to suspect some extraordinary motive lay couched under such an excess of generosity. "Craigengelt, you are either an honest fellow in right good earnest, and I scarce know how to believe that—or you are cleverer than I took you for, and I scarce know how to believe that either."
"L'un n'empeche pas l'autre," said Craigengelt, "touch and try—the gold is good as ever was weighed."
