"Business!" was his short and decided reply. When he entered the small but cleanly kitchen, his only remark was, "Like a new preen!" Looking round with a half-vacant, half-curious gaze, he fixed his eyes on the Sergeant for a moment, then walking up to the starling’s cage, he muttered, "Deevils!"
This brief exclamation arrested the attention of Adam, who asked, "What do ye mean, my man? D’ye ken what ye’re saying?"
"Fine!" replied Jock. "Deevils! again say I!"
The Sergeant rose, tapped him on the shoulder, and pointed to the door.
"I understan’," said Jock; "ye wad hae me gang oot. Ye’re no’ the first that has sent Jock Hall that gait! Maist folk like to see his back a hantle better than his face. But I’m no’ gaun oot at present, Sergeant. That stirlin’ o’ yours ’ll no’ let me. I’m fond o’ birds--in fac, they’re the only leevin’ things I care for. I never liked canaries, they’re ower genteel and ower particklar about bein’ coodled, to please a tramp like me that never was in that way mysel’. But our ain birds--that’s maavies, linties, and laverocks, or even gooldies, that can stan’ a’ wathers, and sing for a’ folk, specially for them that’s obleeged to lie oot in wuds, or on the heather--them’s the singers for Jock Hall! But I’m no weel acquaint wi’ thae stirlin’s. I’m telt that yours is no canny, an’ that it speaks like an auld-farrant bairn. Eh?" And Jock turned to the cage from which his attention had for a moment been diverted; and while the Sergeant was earnestly studying his strange guest, the guest was as earnestly studying the strange bird. The starling was singularly still, and seemed to sympathise with his master in his study of Hall. He then leaped up to his perch, turned his back to Jock, shook his feathers, turned round and again looked at his visitor with a steady gaze.
"That’s a fearsome bird!" said Hall, without moving. "As sure as I’m leevin, I see’d his ee gettin’ bigger and bigger, till it was like a saxpence as it glowered at me. I was frichtened it kent a’things I was doing or thinking aboot!"
"Let the bird alane!" said the Sergeant, "and come here to the window if ye hae ony business wi’ me, Hall."
Jock obeyed; but twice, between the cage and the window, he looked over his shoulder at the starling, as if he was afraid of him.