"Now, your father and mother?" 

 "None." 

 "How's that?" 

 "I was found as a kid on the Woolamaloo Road, with a newspaper for a bellyband and a rubber tit in my mouth. The old woman who found me said I dropped from heaven." 

 "The other's the most likely place. Now, sign. 

 "Right! Next." 

 Paddy Doolan described himself as an Irishman, born in Kerry, and an egg-merchant by trade. 

 "Your religion?" asked Sam. 

 "Sure, I'm a Catholic." 

 "When were you at Confession last?" 

 "It's a long time now, yer riverance; but if yis'll lend me a pound I'll have something worth confessing by early Mass to-morrow." 

 "Your name, now?" 

 "Sandy Brown." 

 "Where from?" 

 "Glesca, sir." 

 "Where's Glesca?" 

 "The place whaur they mak' gunboats an' bailies." 

 "Trade?" 

 "Coal merchant—I mean stoker." 

 "Married?" 

 Prev. P 10/77 next