ning,' said the last. 'That's a fine easy job o' yours.'

I had not looked up on their approach, and now, when accosted, I slowly
and painfully straightened my back, after the manner of roadmen; spat
vigorously, after the manner of the low Scot; and regarded them
steadily before replying. I confronted three pairs of eyes that missed
nothing.

'There's waur jobs and there's better,' I said sententiously. 'I wad
rather hae yours, sittin' a' day on your hinderlands on thae cushions.
It's you and your muckle cawrs that wreck my roads! If we a' had oor
richts, ye sud be made to mend what ye break.'

The bright-eyed man was looking at the newspaper lying beside
Turnbull's bundle.

'I see you get your papers in good time,' he said.

I glanced at it casually. 'Aye, in gude time. Seein' that that paper
cam' out last Setterday I'm just Sax days late.'

He picked it up, glanced at the superscription, and laid it down again.
One of the others had been looking at my boots, and a word in German
called the speaker's attention to them.

'You've a fine taste in boots,' he said. 'These were never made by a
country shoemaker.'

'They were not,' I said readily. 'They were made in London. I got
them frae the gentleman that was here last year for the shootin'. What
was his name now?' And I scratched a forgetful head. Again the sleek
one spoke in German. 'Let us get on,' he said. 'This fellow is all
right.'

They asked one last question.

'Did you see anyone pass early this morning? He might be on a bicycle
or he might be on foot.'

I very nearly fell into the trap and told a story of a bicyclist
hurrying past in the grey dawn. But I had the sense to see my danger.
I pretended to consider very deeply.

'I wasna up very early,' I said. 'Ye see, my dochter was merrit last
nicht, and we keepit it up late. I opened the house door about seeven
and there was naebody on the road then. Since I cam' up here there has
just been the baker and the Ruchill herd, besides you gentlemen.'

One of them gave me a cigar, which I smelt gingerly and stuck in
Turnbull's bundle. They got into their car and were out of sight in
three minutes.

My heart leaped with an enormous relief, but I went on wheeling my
stones. It was as well, for ten minutes later the car returned, one of
the occupants waving a hand to me. Those gentry left nothing to chance.

I finished Turnbull's bread and cheese, and pretty soon I had finished
the