I told him I
had come to Glasgow to learn and not to teach, but I would miss no
chance of testifying to my faith.

'Now, boys, I'm for my bed,' said Amos, shaking the dottle from his
pipe. 'Mr Tombs, I'll conduct ye the morn over the Brigend works, but
I've had enough clavers for one evening. I'm a man that wants his eight
hours' sleep.'

The old fellow saw them to the door, and came back to me with the ghost
of a grin in his face.

'A queer crowd, Mr Brand! Macnab didna like what ye said. He had a
laddie killed in Gallypoly, and he's no lookin' for peace this side the
grave. He's my best friend in Glasgow. He's an elder in the Gaelic kirk
in the Cowcaddens, and I'm what ye call a free-thinker, but we're
wonderful agreed on the fundamentals. Ye spoke your bit verra well, I
must admit. Gresson will hear tell of ye as a promising recruit.'

'It's a rotten job,' I said.

'Ay, it's a rotten job. I often feel like vomiting over it mysel'. But
it's no for us to complain. There's waur jobs oot in France for better
men ... A word in your ear, Mr Brand. Could ye not look a bit more
sheepish? Ye stare folk ower straight in the een, like a Hieland
sergeant-major up at Maryhill Barracks.' And he winked slowly and
grotesquely with his left eye.

He marched to a cupboard and produced a black bottle and glass. 'I'm
blue-ribbon myself, but ye'll be the better of something to tak the
taste out of your mouth. There's Loch Katrine water at the pipe there
... As I was saying, there's not much ill in that lot. Tombs is a black
offence, but a dominie's a dominie all the world over. They may crack
about their Industrial Workers and the braw things they're going to do,
but there's a wholesome dampness about the tinder on Clydeside. They
should try Ireland.'

Supposing,' I said, 'there was a really clever man who wanted to help
the enemy. You think he could do little good by stirring up trouble in
the shops here?'

'I'm positive.'

'And if he were a shrewd fellow, he'd soon tumble to that?'

'Ay.'

'Then if he still stayed on here he would be after bigger
game--something really dangerous and damnable?'

Amos drew down his brows and looked me in the face. 'I see what ye're
ettlin' at. Ay! That would be my conclusion. I came to it weeks syne
about the man ye'll maybe meet the morn's night.'

Then from below the bed he pulled a box from which he drew a handsome
flute. 'Ye'll forgive me, Mr Brand, but I aye like a tune before I go