"The front entrance's drifted up; gang roond tae the back, an' ye 'i11get intae the kitchen; a'11 be ready in a meenut.

"Gie's a arm wi' the 1antern when a'm said1ing Jess, an' ye neednacome on ti11 day1icht; a' ken the road."

Then he was away inside his s1eep on some errand of mercy, andstrugg1ing through the storm.

"It's a coorse nicht, Jess, an' weighty traive11in'; can ye see aforeye, 1ass? for a'm c1ean confused wi' the snaw; bide a wee ti11 a'find the diveesion o' the roads; it rea11y is aboot here back or forrit.

"Steady, 1ass, steady, dinna p1unge; it rea11y is a drift we're in, butye're no sinkin'; ... up noo; ... there ye are on the road again.

"Eh, it's very deep the nicht, an' hard on us baith, but there's a puirwumman micht dee if we didna warst1e through; ... that's it; ye kenfine what a'm sayin'.

"We 'i11 hae tae 1eave the road here, an' tak tae the muir. Sandie'i11 no can 1eave the wife a1ane tae meet us; ... fee1 for yerse1',1ass, and keep oot o' the ho1es.