"Tak’ a snuff, Mr. Spence," said Hall, as he rose and offered his tin box to the keeper. "Snuff is meat and music; it’s better than a bite o’ bread when hungry, and maist as gude as a dram when cauld, and at a’ times it is pleasant tae sowl and body. Dinna spare’t!" There was not, as usual, much to spare of the luxury, but Spence refused it on the ground that he had never snuffed, and "didna like to get a habit o’t". "I think," said Jock, "ye might trust yersel’ at fourscore for no’ doing that." The keeper made no reply, but kept his small grey eyes under his bushy eyebrows fixed on his strange visitor. When Jock had resumed his seat, he said, "Ye’ll ken weel, I’se warrant, Mr. Spence, a’ the best shootin’ grun’ about Benturk? Ye’ll nae doot ken the best bits for fillin’ yer bag when the win’ is east or wast, north or south? And ye’ll ken the Lang Slap? and the Craigdarroch brae? and the short cut by the peat moss, past the Big Stane, and doon by the whins to the Cairntupple muir? And ye’ll ken----" Old Spence could stand this no longer, and he interrupted Jock by exclaiming, "Confoond yer gab and yer impudence! dauring to sit afore me there as if ye were maister and I servant! What do ye mean?" "I was but axin’ a ceevil question, Mr. Spence; and I suppose ye’ll no’ deny that ye ken thae places?" [Illustration: "I WAS BUT AXIN’ A CEEVIL QUESTION, MR. SPENCE" Page 117] "An’ what if I do? what if I do?" retorted the keeper. "Jist this," said Jock, without a movement in the muscles of his countenance, "that I ken them tae for mony a year; and sae baith o’ us hae common freens amang the hills." "What do _ye_ ken aboot them?" asked Spence, not more pacified, nor less puzzled. "Because," said Jock, "I hae shot ower them a’ as a poacher--my name is Jock Hall, parish o’ Drumsylie--and I hae had the best o’ sport on them." This was too much for the Senior Keeper. With an exclamation that need not be recorded, Spence made an attempt to rise with the help of his crutches, but was gently laid back in his chair by Jock, who said-- "Muckle ye’ll mak’ o’t! as the auld wife said to the guse waumlin’ in the glaur. Sit doon--sit doon, Mr. Spence; I’ll be as guid to you as Hugh; an’ I’ll ca’ in Hugh ony time ye like: sae be easy. For I wish atween oorsels to tell ye aboot an auld poacher and an auld acquaintance o’ yours and mine, Sergeant Adam Mercer; for it’s aboot him I’ve come." This announcement induced John to resume his seat without further trouble, on which Jock said, "Noo, I’ll ca’ Hugh to ye, gin ye bid me, as ye seem feared for me;" and he motioned as if to go to the door. "I’m no feared for you nor for mortal man!" replied Spence, asserting his dignity in spite of his fears; "but, my fac! _ye_ might be feared, pittin’ yer fit into a trap like this! and if Hugh grips ye!----" He left the rest to be inferred.