We had no selections on the violin at that night's concert, nor for several nights after, for Mac's finger was badly swollen, and he could not use it.

And for a long time I could make him as red as a beet and as angry as I pleased by just whispering in his ear, in the innocentest way: "Hoo's yer pinkie the noo, Mac ?" It was at Creetown, our next stopping place, that we had an adventure that micht weel ha' had serious results.

We had a Sunday to spend, and decided to stay there and see some of the Galloway moorlands, of which we had all heard wondrous tales.

And after our concert we were introduced to a man who asked us if we'd no like a little fun on the Sawbath nicht.

It sounded harmless, as he put it so, and we thocht, syne it was to be on the Sunday, it could no be so verra boisterous.
So we accepted his invitation gladly.
Next evening then, in the gloamin', he turned up at our lodgings, wi' two dogs at his heel, a greyhound and a lurcher--a lurcher is a coursing dog, a cross between a collie and a greyhound.
He wore dark clothes and a slouch hat.