He was, the shepherd says, the best dog he ever saw, in spite of his surly manners and unprepossessing appearance.

For all his queerness, Duggan was loyal, he was a good fellow when you had got underneath his surly manners.

"I thought you were warriors," Helena had said once, when Myrina asked her rather bluntly to justify her surly manners.

"We will do our best to obey you, sir," answered David, who wisely wished to conciliate the man, in spite of his surly manners.