Either give me an answer in civility , and that out of hand ; or by the top of Glencoe , I will ram three feet of iron through your vitals . '' `` Eh , man , '' cried my uncle , scrambling to his feet , `` give me a meenit ! What 's like wrong with ye ? I 'm just a plain man and nae dancing master ; and I 'm tryin to be as ceevil as it 's morally possible . As for that wild talk , it 's fair disrepitable . Vitals , says you ! And where would I be with my blunderbush ? '' he snarled . `` Powder and your auld hands are but as the snail to the swallow against the bright steel in the hands of Alan , '' said the other . `` Before your jottering finger could find the trigger , the hilt would dirl on your breast-bane . '' `` Eh , man , whae 's denying it ? '' said my uncle . `` Pit it as ye please , hae ' t your ain way ; I 'll do naething to cross ye . Just tell me what like ye 'll be wanting , and ye 'll see that we 'll can agree fine . '' `` Troth , sir , '' said Alan , `` I ask for nothing but plain dealing . In two words : do ye want the lad killed or kept ? '' `` O , sirs ! '' cried Ebenezer . `` O , sirs , me ! that 's no kind of language ! ''
`` Killed or XXXXX ! ''
ask cried cross denying kept scrambling sirs snarled swallow tell