So Donald reflected a moment.
Will he pay or go to jail? His heart wavers.
"I will go to jail," he exclaims, suddenly struck with a luminous idea.
Now the prison was in the chief town of his county, and it so happened that he had a little business to arrange there, but the railway fare was two shillings and eight pence halfpenny.
He passes the night in the lock-up, and in the morning is taken off by train to the prison.
Once safely there, Donald pulls half-a-crown from his purse, and demands a receipt of the governor, who has no choice but to give it him and set him at liberty. Our hero, proud as a king at the success of his plan, and the two pence halfpenny clear profit it has brought him, steers for the town and arranges his business.
Rabelais was not more cunning when he hit upon his stratagem for getting carried to Paris.
The Scotch themselves are fond of telling the following:
Dugald—"Did ye hear that Sandy McNab was ta'en up for stealin' a coo?"