"For, of course, it's your special craving! Where are you going ?" "To Cornwall." "Tramping it ?" "Yes." "Begging, I suppose ?" "Sometimes." "Disgraceful!" And the reverend gentleman snorted offence like a walrus rising from deep waters.

"Why don't you work ?" "I'm too old." "Too old! Too lazy you mean! How old are you ?" "Seventy." Mr.Arbroath paused, slightly disconcerted.

He had entered the "Trusty Man" in the hope of discovering some or even all of its customers in a state of drunkenness.

To his disappointment he had found them perfectly sober.

He had pounced on the stray man whom he saw was a stranger, in the expectation of proving him, at least, to be intoxicated.