en't foreigners, and there was a kind
of decency about Claverhouse too."

About four o'clock Dougal presented himself in the back kitchen. He was
an even wilder figure than usual, for his bare legs were mud to the
knees, his kilt and shirt clung sopping to his body, and, having lost
his hat, his wet hair was plastered over his eyes. Mrs. Morran said,
not unkindly, that he looked "like a wull-cat glowerin' through a whin
buss."

"How are you, Dougal?" Dickson asked genially. "Is the peace of nature
smoothing out the creases in your poor little soul?"

"What's that ye say?"

"Oh, just what I heard a man say in Glasgow. How have you got on?"

"No' so bad. Your telegram was sent this mornin'. Auld Bill took it
in to Kirkmichael. That's the first thing. Second, Thomas Yownie has
took a party to get down the box from the station. He got Mrs.
Sempills' powny, and he took the box ayont the Laver by the ford at the
herd's hoose and got it on to the shore maybe a mile ayont Laverfoot.
He managed to get the machine up as far as the water, but he could get
no farther, for ye'll no' get a machine over the wee waterfa' just
before the Laver ends in the sea. So he sent one o' the men back with
it to Mrs. Sempill, and, since the box was ower heavy to carry, he
opened it and took the stuff across in bits. It's a' safe in the hole
at the foot o' the Huntingtower rocks, and he reports that the rain has
done it no harm. Thomas has made a good job of it. Ye'll no' fickle
Thomas Yownie."

"And what about your camp on the moor?"

"It was broke up afore daylight. Some of our things we've got with us,
but most is hid near at hand. The tents are in the auld wife's
hen-hoose." and he jerked his disreputable head in the direction of the
back door.

"Have the tinklers been back?"

"Aye. They turned up about ten o'clock, no doubt intendin' murder. I
left Wee Jaikie to watch developments. They fund him sittin' on a
stone, greetin' sore. When he saw them, he up and started to run, and
they cried on him to stop, but he wouldn't listen. Then they cried out
where were the rest, and he telled them they were feared for their
lives and had run away. After that they offered to catch him, but
ye'll no' catch Jaikie in a hurry. When he had run round about them
till they were wappit, he out wi' his catty and got one o' them on the
lug. Syne he made for the Laverfoot and reported."

"Man, Dougal, you've managed fine. Now I've somet