Mr. Standfast

Doings i

little saloon, where the odour of ham and eggs hung like a fog. I joined her at Greenock and took a turn on deck with the captain after tea, when he told me the names of the big blue hills to t

re three days. I get a telegram at Oban and the next thing I'm awa ayont Barra. Sheep's the difficult business. They maun

-western wind. When asked my purpose, I explained that I was a colonial of Scots extraction, who was paying his first visit to hi

ked. 'They'll no let ye go nor

ng about passports,

poor job sittin' on this deck and admirin' the works o' God and no allowed to step on the pier-head. Ye should have applied to the military

quire about my ticket, a

captain. 'Weel, we're a cheery wee ship's company

aving the captain and the mate smoking shag not six feet from my head, and fell into a restless sleep. When I woke the place was empty, and smelt vilely of stale tobacco and cheese. My throbbing brows made sleep impossible, and I tried to ease them by staggering upon dec

ome port and he went off ashore, I must follow him. Having no passport I would have to be always dodging trouble, which would handicap my movements and in all likelihood make me more conspicuous than I wante

able of her voyage. It was incredible that Gresson should take all this trouble if he did not know that at some place-and the right place-he would have time to get a spell ashore. But I could scarcely ask Gresson for that information, though I determined to cast a wary fly over him. I knew roughly the Tobermory's course-through the Sound of Islay to Colonsay; then up the east side of Mull to

's maps. I was beginning to think that Amos might be able to tell me something, for a talk with the captain had suggested that the Tobermory would not dally long in the neighbourhood of Rum and Eigg. The big droving season was scarcely on yet, and sheep for the Oban market would be lifted on the return journey. In that case Skye was the first place to watch, and if I could get wind of any big ca

etched its pale molten gold to the sunset. Gresson waxed lyrical over the scene. 'This just about puts me right inside, Mr Brand. I've got to get away from that little old town pretty frequent or I begin to moult like a canary. A man feels a man when he gets to a place that smells as good as this. Why in hell do we ever get messed up in those s

on holidaying,' I told him, 'and I want to see all the beauty spots. But the best of them seem to be in the area t

me there's some pretty sights round Oban.' And he t

place where the Prince landed and where he left for France. 'So far as I can make out that won't take me into the passport country, but I'll have to do a bit of footslogging. Well, I'm u

and I don't take much stock in Governments and their two-cent laws, and it would be a good game to see just how far you co

nything to be gained I'd undertake to bluff my way to the Orkney Isl

leave us, for I owe you something for that rough-house, and bes

my hip pocket, but at night I put it behind my pillow. But when I woke next morning to find us casting anchor in the bay below rough low hills, which I knew to be the island of Colonsay, I could find no trace of the revolver. I searched every inch of the bunk and only shook out feathers from the mouldy ticking. I remembered perfectly putting the thing behind my head before I went to sleep, and now it had vanished utterly. Of course I

hour to the Pilgrim's Progress, but I could not compose any kind of intelligible message with reference to its text. We had all the same edition-the one in the Golden Treasury series-so I co

, Post Off

ou if boat's programme permits. Are any good cargoes

but the confounded fellow was with me all the time. My only chance was just before we sailed, when he had to go on board to check some cargo. As the telegraph office stood full in view of the shi

wrathful Gresson. 'Where the hell have you been?' he asked. 'The weather's blowing up dirty

omething to read, and produced my dingy red volumes. At that hi

rse was north by east, and when we had passed the butt-end of the island we nosed about in the trough of big seas, shipping tons of water and rolling like a buffalo. I know as much about boats as about Egyptian hieroglyphics, but even my landsman's eyes could tell tha

nced myself, as we lurched into the twilight, hanging on with one hand to a rope which descended from the stumpy mast. I noticed that there was only an indifferent rail between me and the edge, but that interested me and helped to keep off

he business I had set out on, and presently-by way of recollections of Blenkiron and Peter-reaching the German forest where, in the Christmas of 1915, I had been nearly done in by fever and old Stumm. I r

y fingers were numbing. Then I fell to dreaming again, principally about Fosse Manor and Mary Lamington. This so ravished

h me, so that for an instant I was more than half overboard. But my fingers clawed wildly and caught in the links of what must have been the anchor chain. They held, though a ton's weig

nd a hand helped me to my feet. It

nto you, and I was calling myself bad names when I saw you rolling into the Atlantic. If I hadn't got a grip on the rope I would have been down bes

cept that it had cured me of wanting to be sea-sick. I went down to the reeking cabin without one qualm in my stomach, and ate a good meal of welsh-rabbit and bo

ne for nearly doing me in. We played some poker, and I read the little books I had got in Colonsay, and then rigged up a fishing-line, and caught saithe and lythe and an occasional big haddock. B

Then I made a bee-line for the post office, and asked for telegram

ead

Oban. Page 117, para

Gresson with

ut this passport humbug I wrote to him and offered to pay him a visit. I told him to wire me here if it was convenient, and the ol

Gresson asked curiously,

t handling the telegraph. However, it don't signify, seeing I'm not going near him.' I crumpl

nce, I had out my Pilgrim's Prog

ne, stood Demas (gentlemanlike) to call to passengers to come and see: who said

e of the prospector. 'For instance,' I said, 'if this had been Rhodesia, I would have said there was a good chance of copper in these little kopjes above the town. They're

en if ye found the minerals, for ye'd have to import a' your labour. The

eats would c

chump on

in my bed

th for e

r been trie

s, and there was word o' coal in Benbecu

that?'

cargo for Ranna, and we usually get a good load back. But as I tell ye, there's

ate business. Ranna would not be the spot, for the island was bare to the world in the middle of a much-frequented channel. But Skye was just across t

set him posers about politics and economics, the kind of thing I might have been supposed to pick up from unintelligent browsing among little books. Generally he answered with some slangy catchword, but occasionally he was interested beyond his discretion, and treated me to a harangue like an equal. I discovered another thing, that he had a craze for poetry, and a capacious memory for it. I forgot how we drifted into the subject, but I

fore you. That bug never bit me, and I guess I'

o some work for the c

a grin. 'It's a great li

lates and biscuits I had bought in Oban. The captain was discouraging. 'Ye'll get your bellyful o' Hieland hills, Mr Brand, afore ye win round the loch head. Ye'll be wishin' yerself back on the Tobermo

e house stood among gardens. Presently I had left the coast and was in a glen where a brown salmon-river swirled through acres of bog-myrtle. It had its source in a loch, from which the mountain rose steeply-a place so glassy in that August forenoon that every scar and

st visit to Scotland, when I covered more moorland miles a day than any man since Claverhouse, I had been fascinated by the land, and had pleased myself with plans for settling down in it. But now, after th

f half my age. I was loath to admit it, though for weeks the conclusion had been forcing itself on me. Not that I didn't revel in my madness, but that it seemed too hopeless a business, and I had no use for barren philandering. But, seated on a rock munching chocolate and biscuits, I faced up to the fact and resolved to trust my luck. After all we were comrades i

ceman. It caught sight of me, stared for a bit, tucked its machine into the side of the road, and then very slowly began to climb the hillside. Once it stopped, waved its hand and shouted something which I could

e me and I had out my fl

drink,

, and a smile over

will be very warrm

you know. Scorching up hills and then doubling

. 'Your very good health.' Then he smacked his lip

y, maybe?' he said in his soft sing-

or the birds, if there w

no gentlemen left in Morvern. But I wass asking you, if yo

ope and a bulky telegraph form. 'Will you r

turn to Oban. The description wasn't bad, but it lacked any one good distinctive detail. Clearly the policeman took me for an

s a public-house just where the burn comes in, and I think he was making for it. Maybe that was yo

it will be the man. Perhaps he w

d out of his senses at the sight of you. But take my advice and get someb

doors at the flower-shows and keep the yachts from poaching the sea-trout. But now it is spies, spies, and "Donald, ge

and on the strength of

g-zag like a snipe down the hill towards Achranich. Then I set off

Perhaps it was the Glasgow meeting, or perhaps my association with Ivery at Biggleswick. Anyhow there was somebody somewhere

a tawny burn wound to the sea. When I entered the place it was about four o'clock in the afternoon, and peace lay on it like a garment. In the wide, sunny street there was no sign of life, and no

hey might prove too much for me, and Gresson would be allowed to make his journey unmatched. The only thing to do was to send

d peppermint balls. An old woman with a mutch sat in an arm-chair behind the counter. She looked up at me over

Open on her lap was a paper, the United Free Church Monthly. I noticed

alling into the broad Lowland speech, for I had

ather for the hairst, but here that's no till the hinner e

ent thing down Ann

. 'Are ye from

fries, but I know

at was ma man-brought me here forty-seeven year syne come Martinmas. But the aulder I get the mair I think o' the bit whaur I

ss, if I could get a cup

no often we see onybody frae the Borders

reacle biscuits that melted in the mouth. And as we ate we talked o

lassie that's married on Donald Frew, the Strontian carrier. I used to vex mysel' about it, but now I thank the Lord that in His mercy He spared me sorrow. But I wad hae li

ess from my pocket. 'That is the

got it for a prize in the Sabb

a passage or two, and then I se

sin that's a minister in Ross-shire at the Kyle, and him and me are great correspondents. He was

uld be cheap

liday and I've no

e a form,

ill be at his mine within the week. St

i' the words, sir,'

pay for the tea. I was bidden remember her to one David Tudhole,

ff the telegram, and I hoped I had covered my tracks. My friend the postmistress would, if questioned, be unlikely to recogni

on the map, where I might find quarters. But ere I had gone far I heard the sound of a motor behind me, and a car slipped past bearing three me

' The two rifle-bearers-solemn gillie

the man. What's your name

like the look of their wavering barrels.

stiff air, and asked him what the devil he meant. No Lowland Scots

all head. He had a lean, well-bred face, and very choleric blue eyes. I se

legraph form, li

s-brown hat-speaks with a colonial accen

officer when stopped by a French sentry. I asked him again what the devil

lty instructions to watch the coast. Damn it, sir, I've a wire here from the Chief Constable describ

brains, I saw that I must change my tone. If I irritated him he would get nast

e, Captain Robert Blaikie, of the Scots Fusiliers. I'm home on three weeks' leave, to get a little peace after Hooge. We were o

vil am I to be satisfied about that

ith me on a walking tour. But you can wir

sir, I'll take you on with me and put you up for the night. My boy's at home, convalescing, and if he says you're p

forths. That wasn't pleasant hearing, for they had been brigaded with us on the Somme. But Colonel Broadbury-for he told me his name-volunteered another piece of news which set my mind at rest. T

ere a small fire of peats was burning, and on a couch beside it lay a slim, pale-faced young man. He had dropped his policeman's manner, and behaved like a gentleman. '

features, but dark and sallow where the other was blond. He had just the same narrow head, and stubborn mouth, and honest, quick-tempered eyes. It is the ty

been across the river on my left. We fought the great fight over again, and yarned about technicalities and slanged the Staff in the way young officers have, the father throwing in questions that showed how mighty proud he was of his son. I h

g-room, and I laid myself out to entertain the pair. The result was that they would have me stay a week, but I spok

g the map, struck over the hills to the west. About midday I topped a ridge, and beheld the Sound of Sleat shining beneath me. There were other things in the landscape. In the valley on