Mr. Standfast · Chapter
The Adventures of a Bagman explained
Hannay, disguised as the bagman Mr.
What happens
Hannay, disguised as the bagman Mr. McCaskie, travels south from Skye via Muirtown, encountering the suspicious Linklater who knows German and may be connected to Gresson. He meets Andrew Amos, who provides him with a new disguise and instructions. On the train, Hannay's slip in military knowledge nearly exposes him, but he covers it with a story about a nephew killed on the Somme. He remains wary of Linklater, who seems more than a simple whisky traveller.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
This is the story's dramatic climax because it marks the psychological and identity crisis point where Richard…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Deception and Disguise
Hannay adopts multiple disguises (bagman, Mr. McCaskie) and must maintain his cover while interacting with suspicious characters like Linklater.
- Comradeship and Loyalty
Andrew Amos aids Hannay with a new identity and supplies, demonstrating loyalty to the cause.
Characters to notice
- Richard Hannay
Disguised as Mr. McCaskie, a publisher's traveller; travels south from Skye, evading police and enemy agents.
- Andrew Amos
Meets Hannay at the Kyle, provides him with a new disguise and instructions; sends a message to London.
- Mr. Linklater
Suspicious bagman who knows German and was seen with Gresson; travels with Hannay on the train.
- Abel Gresson
Mentioned as having left Tobermory and being connected to Linklater; a potential threat to Hannay.
Key passages
“Multiply by five and divide by eight and you get the miles.”
To convert kilometres to miles, multiply by five and then divide by eight.
Hannay uses this conversion to explain his knowledge of distances, covering his slip about the Somme.
“I was on my guard now, and told a long story of a nephew who had been killed on the Somme, and how I had corresponded with the War Office about his case.”
Alert to the danger, Hannay fabricated a tale about a nephew killed on the Somme and his correspondence with the War Office to explain his familiarity with military details.
Hannay quickly improvises a cover story to maintain his disguise as a publisher's traveller.
