Then Archie told how that telegram had burnt in his pocket all dinner-time ; how he had to take Phebe into his confidence , and how clever she was to keep the Captain back till the speech was over and he could come in with effect . The elders would have sat and talked all the evening , but the young folks were bent on having their usual Christmas frolic ; so , after an hour of pleasant chat , they began to get restless , and having consulted together in dumb show , they devised a way to very effectually break up the family council . Steve vanished , and , sooner than the boys imagined Dandy could get himself up , the skirl of the bag-pipe was heard in the hall , and the bonny piper came to lead Clan Campbell to the revel . `` Draw it mild , Stevie , my man ; ye play unco weel , but ye mak a most infernal din , '' cried Uncle Jem , with his hands over his ears , for this accomplishment was new to him , and `` took him all aback , '' as he expressed it . So Steve droned out a Highland reel as softly as he could , and the boys danced it to a circle of admiring relations . Captain Jem was a true sailor , however , and could not stand idle while anything lively was going on ; so , when the piper 's breath gave out , he cut a splendid pigeon-wing into the middle of the hall , saying , `` Who can dance a Fore and After ? '' and , waiting for no reply , began to whistle the air so invitingly that Mrs Jessie `` set '' to him laughing like a girl ; Rose and Charlie took their places behind , and away went the four with a spirit and skill that inspired all the rest to `` cut in '' as fast as they could . That was a grand beginning , and they had many another dance before anyone would own they were tired . Even Fun See distinguished himself with Aunt Plenty , whom he greatly admired as the stoutest lady in the company ; plumpness being considered a beauty in his country . The merry old soul professed herself immensely flattered by his admiration , and the boys declared she `` set her cap at him , '' else he would never have dared to catch her under the mistletoe , and , rising on the tips of his own toes , gallantly salute her fat cheek . How they all laughed at her astonishment , and how Fun 's little black eyes twinkled over this exploit ! Charlie put him up to it , and Charlie was so bent on catching Rose , that he laid all sorts of pitfalls for her , and bribed the other lads to help him . But Rose was wide-awake , and escaped all his snares , professing great contempt for such foolish customs . Poor Phebe did not fare so well , and Archie was the only one who took a base advantage of her as she stood innocently offering tea to Aunt Myra , whom she happened to meet just under the fatal bough . If his father 's arrival had not rather upset him , I doubt if the dignified Chief would have done it , for he apologized at once in the handsomest manner , and caught the tray that nearly dropped from Phebe 's hands . Jamie boldly invited all the ladies to come and salute him ; and as for Uncle Jem , he behaved as if the entire room was a grove of mistletoe . Uncle Alec slyly laid a bit of it on Aunt Peace 's cap , and then softly kissed her ; which little joke seemed to please her very much , for she liked to have part in all the home pastimes , and Alec was her favourite nephew . Charlie alone failed to catch his shy bird , and the oftener she escaped the more determined he was to ensnare her . When every other wile had been tried in vain , he got Archie to propose a game with forfeits . `` I understand that dodge , '' thought Rose , and was on her guard so carefully that not one among the pile soon collected belonged to her .
`` Now let us redeem them and XXXXX something else , '' said Will , quite unconscious of the deeply-laid plots all about him .
Draw doubt fare frolic get offering play salute saying set