He grinned in a curious sarcastic way. ’He’s rather a wee man; and this rod—Lord sakes, ye never saw such a thing! it would break the back o’ a Samson—bless ye, the butt o’t’s like a weaver’s beam; and for our gudeman to buy a thing like that—well, rich folk hae queer ways o’ spending their money.’ He was a friendly old man; and this joke of his master having bought so tremendous an engine seemed to afford him so much enjoyment that when Ronald asked to be allowed to see this formidable weapon he said at once— ’Just you come along outside there, and we’ll put it thegither, and ye’ll see what kind o’ salmon-rod an old man o’ five foot five thinks he can cast wi’——’ ’If it’s no taking up too much of your time,’ Ronald suggested, but eager enough he was to get a salmon-rod into his fingers again. ’I’ve three quarters of an hour to wait,’ was the reply, ’for I canna make out they train books ava.’ They went out beyond the platform to an open space, and very speedily the big rod was put together. It was indeed an enormous thing; but a very fine rod, for all that; and so beautifully balanced and so beautifully pliant that Ronald, after having made one or two passes through the air with it, could not help saying to the old man, and rather wistfully too— ’I suppose ye dinna happen to have a reel about ye?’ ’That I have,’ was the instant answer, ’and a brand new hundred-yard line on it too. Would ye like to try a cast? I’m thinking ye ken something about it.’ It was an odd kind of place to try the casting-power of a salmon-rod, this dismal no-man’s-land of empty trucks and rusted railway-points and black ashes; but no sooner had Ronald begun to send out a good line—taking care to recover it so that it should not fray itself along the gritty ground—than the old man perceived he had to deal with no amateur. ’Man, ye’re a dab, and no mistake! As clean a line as ever I saw cast! It’s no the first time _you’ve_ handled a salmon-rod, I’ll be bound!’ ’It’s the best rod I’ve ever had in my hand,’ Ronald said, as he began to reel in the line again. ’I’m much obliged to ye for letting me try a cast—it’s many a day now since I threw a line.’ They took the rod down and put it in its case. ’I’m much obliged to ye,’ Ronald repeated (for the mere handling of this rod had fired his veins with a strange kind of excitement). ’Will ye come and take a dram?’ ’No, thank ye, I’m a teetotaller,’ said the other; and then he glanced at Ronald curiously. ’But ye seem to ken plenty about dogs and about fishing and so on—what are ye doing in Glasgow and the morn the Twelfth? Ye are not a town lad?’ ’No, I’m not; but I have to live in the town at present,’ was the answer. ’Well, good-day to ye; and many thanks for the trial o’ the rod.’ ’Good-day, my lad; I wish I had your years and the strength o’ your shouthers.’