oks across at_ ANDY _and_ SARAH, _who have
seated themselves at the back._) How do you do, Andy and Sarah? You're
very welcome. (_He looks at_ MACKENZIE, _who stares curiously at
him._)

ANDY. This is a friend of ours, Daniel, that happened to be stopping
with us last summer at Newcastle in the same house, and he came over
for his holidays to us this time. We brought him over to see you. They
calls him Mackenzie.

DANIEL (_crossing over to the left and taking a seat near the door of
the workshop._) How do you do?

MACKENZIE (_patronisingly_). I'm glad to see you at last, Mr. Murray,
for I've heard a good deal about you.

SARAH. You see, Daniel, Mr. Mackenzie is an engineer in one of the
great Scotch engineering yards. (DANIEL'S _face expresses his dismay,
which he hurriedly tries to hide._) What place was it you were in, Mr.
Mackenzie?

MACKENZIE. I served six years in the engine and fitting shops with
Messrs. Ferguson, Hartie & Macpherson, and was two years shop foreman
afterwards to Dennison, McLachlan & Co., and now I'm senior partner
with the firm of Stephenson & Mackenzie. If ever you're up in Greenock
direction, and want to see how we do it, just ask for Donal Mackenzie,
and they'll show you the place. (_Proudly._) We're the sole makers of
the Mackenzie piston, if ever you heard of it.

DANIEL (_uneasily_). I'm sorry to say I haven't.

MACKENZIE. And you call yourself an engineer and you don't know about
Donal Mackenzie's patent reciprocating piston.

JOHN (_apologetically_). You see we be a bit out of the world here,
Mr. Mackenzie.

DANIEL. Yes. Now that's one point. One great point that always tells
against me. (_Getting courageous._) It really needs a man to be
continually visiting the great engineering centres--Greenock, London--

MACKENZIE (_scornfully_). London's not an engineering centre--Glasgow,
Hartlepool, Newcastle----

DANIEL. Well, all those places. He could keep himself posted up in all
the newest ideas then, and inventions.

MACKENZIE. But a man can keep himself to the fore if he reads the
technical journals and follows their articles. What technical papers
do you get? Do you ever get the Scottish Engineers' Monthly Handbook,
price sixpence monthly? I'm the writer on the inventors' column. My
articles are signed Fergus McLachlan. Perhaps you've read them?

DANIEL. I think--um--I'm not quite sure that I have.

MACKENZIE. You remember one I wrote on the new compressed air drills
las