t in his
enthusiasm Tommy had more than once drawn blood from himself. "When you
take it a' so real as that," he said, uncomfortably "I near think we
should give it up."

Tommy stamped his foot. "Take tent o' yoursel'!" he cried threateningly.
"When I was tracking Stroke I fell in with one of his men, and we had a
tussle. He pinked me in the hand, but 'tis only a scratch, bah! He was
carrying treasure, and I took it from him."

Ben whistled. "Five shillings?" he asked, slapping his knee.

"How did you know?" demanded Tommy, frowning, and then they tried to
stare each other down.

"I thought I saw you pouching it," Corp ventured to say.

"Boatswain!"

"I mean," explained Corp hurriedly, "I mean that I kent you would find a
wy. Didest thou kill the Jacobite rebel?"

"He lies but a few paces off," replied Tommy, "and already the vultures
are picking his bones."

"So perish all Victoria's enemies," said Ben the Boatswain, loyally, but
a sudden fear made him add, with a complete change of voice, "You dinna
chance to ken his name?"

"Ay, I had marked him before," answered Tommy, "he was called Corp of
Corp."

Ben the Boatswain rose, sat down, rose again, "Tommy," he said, wiping
his brow with his sleeve, "come awa' hame!"

CHAPTER XXVII

THE LONGER CATECHISM

In the meantime Mr. McLean was walking slowly to the Quharity Arms,
fanning his face with his hat, and in the West town end he came upon
some boys who had gathered with offensive cries round a girl in a lustre
jacket. A wave of his stick put them to flight, but the girl only
thanked him with a look, and entered a little house the window of which
showed a brighter light than its neighbors. Dr. McQueen came out of this
house a moment afterwards, and as the two men now knew each other
slightly, they walked home together, McLean relating humorously how he
had spent the evening. "And though Commander Sandys means to incarcerate
me in the Tower of London," he said, "he did me a good service the other
day, and I feel an interest in him."

"What did the inventive sacket do?" the doctor asked inquisitively; but
McLean, who had referred to the incident of the pass-book, affected not
to hear. "Miss Ailie has told me his history," he said, "and that he
goes to the University next year."

"Or to the herding," put in McQueen, dryly.

"Yes, I heard that was the alternative, but he should easily carry a
bursary; he is a remarkable boy."

"Ay, but I'm no s