t leave before he could get there.
He wanted to "mak' a train oot o' Lunnon" at two of the next afternoon,
"mak' a nicht train oot o' Glesgie" (Glasgow) and surprise his folk by
walking in on 'em "afore brekkist." They would be glad to see him, be
sure.

"Almost as glad to see you come as they was goin'?" asked the soldier
with him, and then urged Scotty to stop over in London for a bit o' fun.

"I'll not," said Scotty. "I'll mak' the trains as I said an' surprise
'em afore brekkist. Besides, there's a football match on for the
arternoon arter to-morrer, and an old pal o' mine is playin' for'ard for
oor team. But let 'em allow all these officers aboord first--'ere's
anither ane--listen tae 'im!"

But it was not an officer this time. It was a voice asking if any
privileges were accorded a King's messenger. The guard at the door said
certainly, but where was he? Everybody made way for the voice. He turned
out to be a little man with a scraggy beard and large round spectacles.
The guard eyed him doubtfully. The King's messenger stood on his toes
and whispered up into the guard's ear.

The guard looked down on him. "King's messenger! Go on with yer!" He
shoved him back.

"Yes, garn with yer!" said Scotty, "but he's gained a guid half oor wi'
his King's-messenger talk. I think I'll hae tae be something important
masel' sune."

The soldier with Scotty could speak French. He spoke it to a pretty
young French girl and her mother who had been pressed up against them.
The mother had a new hat in a big paper box. Whenever the rush
threatened to crush the hat-box, she would hold it high over her head
till she could hold it no longer, when she let it get crushed.

Whenever the girl spoke to the other soldier Scotty would want to know
what she said. "She's sairtainly pretty. What did she say that time,
Tid?"

Tid kept to himself what she said. "It's a cut above the likes of you
we're discussin'," said Tid.

"She'll be goin' to England to marry an English officer," said Scotty.

The girl whirled on him. "No. No Engleesh officier--a French officier!"

"I had a notion you'd spoil it," said Tid.

"Ma Gud," groaned Scotty. "I wonder, Tid, did she hear a' I said this
nicht o' her, and ma lips no two feet frae her ear!"

The night was growing cooler. The girl's fur neck-piece slipped down
from her shoulders. The mother had passed her the hat-box, and the girl
had no hand free for the neck-piece. Scotty put it back for her. S