# Jock — The Man from the Clouds character guide

> Jock in The Man from the Clouds by J. Storer Clouston.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** poor Jock, Herr Jock

**First appearance:** 0005-vi-a-petticoat

## Snapshot

The island's resident simpleton, whose babbled talk of shots and sheep may hide more wit than anyone credits him with.

## Who they are

Jock drifts through the island's margins, laughing at half-crowns and answering questions with cheerful contradictions that leave investigators no wiser. Thomas Sylvester tries to recruit him as an informant, dangling coins and the promise of more shooting, but Jock's gleam of intelligence is as likely to be mockery as comprehension. His failure to recognise a description of the oilskinned stranger feeds the spy's creeping fear that his whole adventure may be hallucination.

## In the story

### [The Suspicious Stranger](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_man_from_the_clouds_se/chapters/iv-the-suspicious-stranger)

The idiot son of the Scollay family, who laughs genially and seems harmless. He is the only one who shows any friendliness toward the protagonist.

### [IX: An Ally](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_man_from_the_clouds_se/chapters/ix-an-ally)

The local simpleton who appears on the beach and is questioned about the oilskinned stranger, but gives confused answers.

### [V: Waiting](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_man_from_the_clouds_se/chapters/v-waiting)

Encountered near the Scollay farm. Hobhouse fears Jock's instinct might recognize him, but Jock shows no sign of recognition.

### [VIII: H.M.S. Uruguay](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_man_from_the_clouds_se/chapters/viii-h-m-s-uruguay)

Accompanies Peter Scollay; laughs loudly at Mr. Hobhouse's remark, adding to the mystery.

### [X: Where the Clue Led](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_man_from_the_clouds_se/chapters/x-where-the-clue-led)

Leads Thomas to inspect stones, showing unusual excitement.

### [An Eye-Opener](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_man_from_the_clouds_se/chapters/xi-an-eye-opener)

Jock's strange behavior and his leading the protagonist away from the murder site are recalled as a potentially significant clue.

### [XIII: Jean’s Guesses](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_man_from_the_clouds_se/chapters/xiii-jean-s-guesses)

The idiot who Merton spoke to on the beach, potentially leading to Merton's discovery.

### [XVI: Tracked Down](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_man_from_the_clouds_se/chapters/xvi-tracked-down)

Revealed to be the oilskinned man, captured and found to be cursing in German, indicating he is not the simpleton he appeared.

### [XVII: The Rest of the Truth](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_man_from_the_clouds_se/chapters/xvii-the-rest-of-the-truth)

Revealed as a German spy, not the Scollays' son; captured and bound.

### [XVIII: The Frosty Road](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_man_from_the_clouds_se/chapters/xviii-the-frosty-road)

Revealed as the spy and murderer, with Jean's suspicions confirmed.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_man_from_the_clouds_se/characters/jock
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_man_from_the_clouds_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_man_from_the_clouds_se/characters