Cortez--starting out to discover new worlds.

Before he left Mr. McCunn had given Tibby a letter to post.
That morning he had received an epistle from a benevolent
acquaintance, one Mackintosh, regarding a group of urchins who
called themselves the "Gorbals Die-Hards." Behind the premises in
Mearns Street lay a tract of slums, full of mischievous boys, with
whom his staff waged truceless war. But lately there had started
among them a kind of unauthorized and unofficial Boy Scouts, who,
without uniform or badge or any kind of paraphernalia, followed the
banner of Sir Robert Baden-Powell and subjected themselves to a
rude discipline. They were far too poor to join an orthodox troop,
but they faithfully copied what they believed to be the practices of
more fortunate boys. Mr. McCunn had witnessed their pathetic parades,
and had even passed the time of day with their leader, a red-haired savage
called Dougal. The philanthropic Mackintosh had taken an interest
in the gang and now desired subscriptions to send them to camp
in the country.

Mr. McCunn, in his new exhilaration, felt that he could not deny to
others what he proposed for himself. His last act before leaving
was to send Mackintosh ten pounds.



CHAPTER II


OF MR. JOHN HERITAGE AND THE DIFFERENCE IN POINTS OF VIEW