228 A HUNDRED YEARS 



and hat less, had only just time to spring into the street. 

 He fled along it, pursued by Jock, uttering loud threats to 

 take the doctor's life, till some friend put out a foot and 

 upset Jock and let Dr. Wishart disappear. 



" Jock's appetite was quite abnormal. In those happy 

 times no door was ever locked at night, front or back, in 

 summer or winter, for at Conon every soul in the district 

 was bound to sleep between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. unless 

 sick. Jock, however, was one of those who was bound 

 by no rules. His dress was a very short kilt, and he had 

 bare legs and feet summer and winter, so he made little 

 noise on his travels. The Conon pantry was close to 

 the back-door, and on getting up one morning the house- 

 keeper was shocked to find her pantry door open and a 

 cold pudding she had put away the previous night gone, 

 dish and all. The mystery as to who could have stolen 

 it was explained by the clean dish being found next day 

 in one of the recesses of Conon Bridge, with the words 

 * The pudding was goot ' chalked by Jock above it, for 

 ere his reason fled poor Jock had been at school. He 

 would gladly fill his huge stomach with anything he could 

 cram into it. I admit that one advantage of the new 

 county police over our old rural constables, who, being 

 only paid by the job, cost a mere fraction of the thousands 

 now paid to the semi-military gentlemen that parade 

 the public roads in fine weather, is that tinkers and others 

 are not allowed to leave their dead horses at the road- 

 sides, to the joy of all dogs and the horror of travellers. 

 In Jock's day we managed matters after the manner of 

 the ancients, to his great delight, as he was devoted to 

 high horse venison. He was sure to be found near every 



