The  smile,  the  arch  glance,  the  ready  handshake  did
so  much  to  restore  Dugald  Maclean  in  his  own  esteem,
that  he  was  able  to  retire  with  even  a  touch  of  swagger,
which  somehow,  in  spite  of  an  awkwardness  almost
comically  ursine,  sat  uncommonly  well  on  such  a  dashing
young  policeman.
Indeed,  the  exit  of  Constable  Maclean  came  very  near
the  point  of  bravado.  For  as  he  passed  the  large  wicker
basket  which  Kelly  had  placed  on  the  floor,  the  young
man  turned  audaciously  upon  his  tormentor.  Said  he
with  a  grin  of  sheer  defiance :

"What  hae  ye  gotten  i'  the  basket,  Joe?"

"Never  you  mind.     'Op  it."

22


THE  ARRIVAL


Less  out  of  natural  curiosity,  which  however  was
very  great,  than  a  desire  to  show  all  whom  it  might
concern  that  he  was  again  his  own  man,  Dugald  Maclean
laid  his  hand  on  the  lid  of  the  basket.
"What  hae  ye  gotten,  Joe?      Rabbuts?"

"If  you  must  know,  it's  a  young  spannil."  The
answer  came  with  rather  truculent  hesitation.
"A  young  spannil,  eh?     I'm  thinkin'  I'll  hae  a  look."

"Be  off  about  your  duty,  my  lad."  Joe  began  to  look
threatening.
