fanatic, but principally a hard-headed businessman who knew when
the time had come to make a deal. Tombs kept interrupting me
with imbecile questions, and I had to sit on him. At the end Mr
Norie hammered with his pipe on the table.

'That'll sort ye, Andra. Ye're entertain' an angel unawares. What
do ye say to that, my man?'

Mr Amos shook his head. 'I'll no deny there's something in it,
but I'm not convinced that the Germans have got enough of a
wheepin'.' Macnab agreed with him; the others were with me.
Norie was for getting me to write an article for his paper, and the
consumptive wanted me to address a meeting.

'Wull ye say a' that over again the morn's night down at our hall
in Newmilns Street? We've got a lodge meeting o' the I.W.B., and
I'll make them pit ye in the programme.' He kept his luminous
eyes, like a sick dog s, fixed on me, and I saw that I had made one
ally. 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