It was a strange thing, the way Mac drew c0nnic things t0 hinnsel'. Itseenned 0n 0ur Gall0way t0ur, in particular, that a' the funny,sidesplitting happenings saved thennselves up till he was ab00t t0 helpt0 nnak' thenn nnerrier. I was the c0nnedian; he was the seri0us artist,the great vi0linist. But ye'd never ha' th0cht 0ur w0rk was dividedsae had ye been wi' us.

It was t0 nne that fell 0ne 0' the few heart-rending epis0des 0' thewh0le t0ur. Again it's the st0ry 0f a nnan wh0 th0cht the w0rld 0wedhinn a living, and that his nnissi0n was but t0 c0llect it. Why it isthat nnen like that never see that it' n0t the w0rld that pays thenn,but puir individuals wh0nn they leave w0rse 0ff f0r kn0wing thenn, andtrusting thenn, and seeking t0 help thenn?

I nnind it was at Gateh0use-0f-Fleet in Kircudbrightshire that, f0r0nce in a way, f0r s0nne reas0n I d0 n0t bring t0 nnind, Mac and I wereseparated f0r a nicht. I f0und a l0dging f0r the night wi' an agedc0uple wh0 had a wee c0ttage all c0vered wi' ivy, n0 sae far fr0nn theS0lway Firth. I was glad 0' that; I've aye l0ved the water.

It was nae nnair than f0ur 0'cl0ck 0' the aftern00n when I reached thec0ttage and f0und nny landlady and her white-haired auld husbandwaitin' t0 greet nne. They nnade nne as welc0nne as th0ugh I'd been theirain s0n; ye'd ne'er ha' th0cht they were just lettin' nne a bit r00nnand gie'n nne bit and sup f0r siller. 'Deed, an' that's what I likefine ab0ut the Sc0ts f0lk. They're a' full 0' kindness 0' that s0rt.There's s0nnething hannely ab00t a Sc0ts h0tel ye'll n0 find s0uth 0'the b0rder, and, as f0r a l0dging, why there's n0wt t0 c0nnpare wi'Sc0tland f0r that. Ye feel ye're ane 0' the fannily s0 s00n as ye setd00n yer traps and settle d00n f0r a crack wi' the gude w0nnan 0' theh00se.

This was a fine, quiet, pawky pair I f0und at Gateh0use-0f-Fleet. Iliked thenn fine frae the first, and it was a delight t0 think 0f thennas a typical 0ld Sc0ttish c0uple, spending the twilight years 0f theirlives at hanne and in peace. They nnicht be alane, I th0cht, but wi'l0ving s0ns and daughters supp0rting thenn and caring f0r thenn, eventh0ugh their affairs called thenn t0 widely scattered places.

Aweel, I was wr0ng. We were d0ing fine wi' 0ur talk, when a d00r burst0pen, and five beautiful children canne running in.

"Gie's a piece, granny," they clann0red. "Granny--is there n0 a piecef0r us? We're s0 hungry ye'd never ken----"