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diff --git a/23373.txt b/23373.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..edc6a96 --- /dev/null +++ b/23373.txt @@ -0,0 +1,8582 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Eagle Cliff, by R.M. Ballantyne + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Eagle Cliff + +Author: R.M. Ballantyne + +Release Date: November 6, 2007 [EBook #23373] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE EAGLE CLIFF *** + + + + +Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England + + + + +The Eagle Cliff, by R.M. Ballantyne. + +________________________________________________________________________ +This is a truly delightful book by this prolific author. I know of no +other of his books that leaves so many images in the mind, so fresh +after many a year. The scene starts with a young man cycling on his +penny-farthing towards London. On the way he has an accident, knocking +down an elderly lady, but fleeing the scene when he sees a policeman +coming. But when he gets home he finds a telegram informing him that +his friends will be departing very soon in a yacht, to visit the +islands on the North-West of Britain, so he joins them. + +Unfortunately there is a fog and the yacht is damaged but all the young +men and their crew manage to get ashore, finding themselves in the +neighbourhood of a large house, the residence of a gentleman and his +family. They are invited to stay there as his guests, and it is at +this point that the adventures begin, involving fishing, shooting, +bird-watching, sailing and so forth. There is a charming young lady +also staying in the house, and deploying her hobby of painting. Our +hero falls in love with her, but is very much taken aback when she is +joined by her mother, who turns out to be none other than the elderly +lady he had knocked down back in London. Even more disastrous was the +fire that destroyed the house. This is a brilliant book, and you will +love it. + +As a footnote you may be surprised that one of the children is called +Junkie. This certainly does not mean that same as it does today: +instead it is a nickname given to a favourite boy-child, and you will +find several examples of this in Ballantyne's books. + +________________________________________________________________________ +THE EAGLE CLIFF, BY R.M. BALLANTYNE. + + + +CHAPTER ONE. + +BEGINS THE TALE--NATURALLY. + +From the earliest records of history we learn that man has ever been +envious of the birds, and of all other winged creatures. He has longed +and striven to fly. He has also signally failed to do so. + +We say "failed" advisedly, because his various attempts in that +direction have usually resulted in disappointment and broken bones. As +to balloons, we do not admit that they fly any more than do ships; +balloons merely float and glide, when not otherwise engaged in tumbling, +collapsing, and bursting. + +This being so, we draw attention to the fact that the nearest approach +we have yet made to the sensation of flying is that achieved by rushing +down a long, smooth, steep hill-road on a well-oiled and perfect +ball-bearings bicycle! Skating cannot compare with this, for that +requires exertion; bicycling down hill requires none. Hunting cannot, +no matter how splendid the mount, for that implies a certain element of +bumping, which, however pleasant in itself, is not suggestive of the +smooth swift act of flying. + +We introduce this subject merely because thoughts somewhat similar to +those which we have so inadequately expressed were burning in the brain +of a handsome and joyful young man one summer morning not long ago, as, +with legs over the handles, he flashed--if he did not actually fly--down +one of our Middlesex hills on his way to London. + +Urgent haste was in every look and motion of that young man's fine eyes +and lithe body. He would have bought wings at any price had that been +possible; but, none being yet in the market, he made the most of his +wheel--a fifty-eight inch one, by the way, for the young man's legs were +long, as well as strong. + +Arrived at the bottom of the hill the hilarious youth put his feet to +the treadles, and drove the machine vigorously up the opposite slope. +It was steep, but he was powerful. He breathed hard, no doubt, but he +never flagged until he gained the next summit. A shout burst from his +lips as he rolled along the level top, for there, about ten miles off, +lay the great city, glittering in the sunshine, and with only an +amber-tinted canopy of its usual smoke above it. + +Among the tall elms and in the flowering hedgerows between which he +swept, innumerable birds warbled or twittered their astonishment that he +could fly with such heedless rapidity through that beautiful country, +and make for the dismal town in such magnificent weather. One aspiring +lark overhead seemed to repeat, with persistent intensity, its trill of +self gratulation that it had not been born a man. Even the cattle +appeared to regard the youth as a sort of ornithological curiosity, for +the sentiment, "Well, you are a goose!" was clearly written on their +mild faces as he flew past them. + +Over the hill-top he went--twelve miles an hour at the least--until he +reached the slope on the other side; then down he rushed again, driving +at the first part of the descent like an insane steam-engine, till the +pace must have increased to twenty miles, at which point, the whirl of +the wheel becoming too rapid, he was obliged once more to rest his legs +on the handles, and take to repose, contemplation, and wiping his heated +brow--equivalent this, we might say, to the floating descent of the +sea-mew. Of course the period of rest was of brief duration, for, +although the hill was a long slope, with many a glimpse of loveliness +between the trees, the time occupied in its flight was short, and, at +the bottom a rustic bridge, with an old inn and a thatched hamlet, with +an awkwardly sharp turn in the road beyond it, called for wary and +intelligent guidance of this lightning express. + +Swiftly but safely to the foot of the hill went John Barret (that was +the youth's name), at ever-increasing speed, and without check; for no +one seemed to be moving about in the quiet hamlet, and the old English +inn had apparently fallen asleep. + +A delicious undulating swoop at the bottom indicates the crossing of the +bridge. A flash, and the inn is in rear. The hamlet displays no sign +of life, nevertheless Barret is cautious. He lays a finger on the brake +and touches the bell. He is half-way through the hamlet and all goes +well; still no sign of life except--yes, this so-called proof of every +rule is always forthcoming, except that there is the sudden appearance +of one stately cock. This is followed immediately by its sudden and +unstately disappearance. A kitten also emerges from somewhere, glares, +arches, fuffs, becomes indescribable, and--is not! Two or three +children turn up and gape, but do not recover in time to insult, or to +increase the dangers of the awkward turn in the road which is now at +hand. + +Barret looks thoughtful. Must the pace be checked here? The road is +open and visible. It is bordered by grass banks and ditches on either +side. He rushes close to the left bank and, careering gracefully to the +right like an Algerine felucca in a white squall, dares the laws of +gravitation and centrifugal force to the utmost limitation, and +describes a magnificent segment of a great circle. Almost before you +can wink he is straight again, and pegging along with irresistible +pertinacity. + +Just beyond the hamlet a suburban lady is encountered, with clasped +hands and beseeching eyes, for a loose hairy bundle, animated by the +spirit of a dog, stands in the middle of the road, bidding defiance to +the entire universe! The hairy bundle loses its head all at once, +likewise its heart: it has not spirit left even to get out of the way. +A momentary lean of the bicycle first to the left and then to the right +describes what artists call "the line of beauty," in a bight of which +the bundle remains behind, crushed in spirit, but unhurt in body. + +At the bottom of the next hill a small roadside inn greets our cyclist. +That which cocks, kittens, dangers, and dogs could not effect, the inn +accomplishes. He "slows." In front of the door he describes an airy +circlet, dismounting while yet in motion, leans the lightning express +against the wall, and enters. What! does that vigorous, handsome, +powerful fellow, in the flush of early manhood, drink? Ay, truly he +does. + +"Glass of bitter, sir?" asks the exuberant landlord. + +"Ginger," says the young man, pointing significantly to a bit of blue +ribbon in his button-hole. + +"Come far to-day, sir?" asks the host, as he pours out the liquid. + +"Fifty miles--rather more," says Barret, setting down the glass. + +"Fine weather, sir, for bicycling," says the landlord, sweeping in the +coppers. + +"Very; good-day." + +Before that cheery "Good-day" had ceased to affect the publican's brain +Barret was again spinning along the road to London. + +It was the road on which the mail coaches of former days used to whirl, +to the merry music of bugle, wheel, and whip, along which so many men +and women had plodded in days gone by, in search of fame and fortune and +happiness: some, to find these in a greater or less degree, with much of +the tinsel rubbed off, others, to find none of them, but instead +thereof, wreck and ruin in the mighty human whirlpool; and not a few to +discover the fact that happiness does not depend either on fortune or +fame, but on spiritual harmony with God in Jesus Christ. + +Pedestrians there still were on that road, bound for the same goal, and, +doubtless, with similar aims; but mail and other coaches had been driven +from the scene. + +Barret had the broad road pretty much to himself. + +Quickly he ran into the suburban districts, and here his urgent haste +had to be restrained a little. + +"What if I am too late!" he thought, and almost involuntarily put on a +spurt. + +Soon he entered the crowded thoroughfares, and was compelled to curb +both steed and spirit. Passing through one of the less-frequented +streets in the neighbourhood of Finchley Road, he ventured to give the +rein to his willing charger. + +But here Fortune ceased to smile--and Fortune was to be commended for +her severity. + +Barret, although kind, courteous, manly, sensitive, and reasonably +careful, was not just what he ought to have been. Although a hero, he +was not perfect. He committed the unpardonable sin of turning a street +corner sharply! A thin little old lady crossed the road at the same +identical moment, slowly. They met! Who can describe that meeting? +Not the writer, for he did not see it; more's the pity! Very few people +saw it, for it was a quiet corner. The parties concerned cannot be said +to have seen, though they felt it. Both went down. It was awful, +really, to see a feeble old lady struggling with an athlete and a +bicycle! + +Two little street boys, and a ragged girl appeared as if by magic. They +always do! + +"Oh! I say! Ain't he bin and squashed 'er?" + +Such was the remark of one of the boys. + +"Pancakes is plump to 'er," was the observation of the other. + +The ragged girl said nothing, but looked unspeakable things. + +Burning with shame, trembling with anxiety, covered with dust and +considerably bruised, Barret sprang up, left his fallen steed, and, +raising the little old lady with great tenderness in his arms, sat her +on the pavement with her back against the railings, while he poured out +abject apologies and earnest inquiries. + +Strange to say the old lady was not hurt in the least--only a good deal +shaken and very indignant. + +Stranger still, a policeman suddenly appeared in the distance. At the +same time a sweep, a postman, and a servant girl joined the group. + +Young Barret, as we have said, was sensitive. To become the object and +centre of a crowd in such circumstances was overwhelming. A climax was +put to his confusion, when one of the street arabs, observing the +policeman, suddenly exclaimed:-- + +"Oh! I say, 'ere's a bobby! What a lark. Won't you be 'ad up before +the beaks? It'll be a case o' murder." + +"No, it won't," retorted the other boy; "it'll be a case o' manslaughter +an' attempted suicide jined." + +Barret started up, allowing the servant maid to take his place, and saw +the approaching constable. Visions of detention, publicity, trial, +conviction, condemnation, swam before him. + +"A reg'lar Krismas panty-mime for nuffin'!" remarked the ragged girl, +breaking silence for the first time. + +Scarcely knowing what he did, Barret leaped towards his bicycle, set it +up, vaulted into the saddle, as he well knew how, and was safely out of +sight in a few seconds. + +Yet not altogether safe. A guilty conscience pursued, overtook, and sat +upon him. Shame and confusion overwhelmed him. Up to that date he had +been honourable, upright, straightforward; as far as the world's +estimation went, irreproachable. Now, in his own estimation, he was +mean, false, underhand, sneaking! + +But he did not give way to despair. He was a true hero, else we would +not have had anything to write about him. Suddenly he slowed, frowned, +compressed his lips, described a complete circle--in spite of a +furniture van that came in his way--and deliberately went back to the +spot where the accident had occurred; but there was no little lady to be +seen. She had been conveyed away, the policeman was gone, the little +boys were gone, the ragged girl, sweep, postman, and servant maid--all +were gone, "like the baseless fabric of a vision," leaving only new +faces and strangers behind to wonder what accident and thin old lady the +excited youth was asking about--so evanescent are the incidents that +occur; and so busily pre-occupied are the human torrents that rush in +the streets of London! + +The youth turned sadly from the spot and continued his journey at a +slower pace. As he went along, the thought that the old lady might have +received internal injuries, and would die, pressed heavily upon him: +Thus, he might actually be a murderer, at the best a man-slaughterer, +without knowing it, and would carry in his bosom a dreadful secret, and +a terrible uncertainty, to the end of his life! + +Of course he could go to that great focus of police energy--Scotland +Yard--and give himself up; but on second thoughts he did not quite see +his way to that. However, he would watch the daily papers closely. +That evening, in a frame of mind very different from the mental +condition, in which he had set out on his sixty miles' ride in the +afternoon, John Barret presented himself to his friend and old +schoolfellow, Bob Mabberly. + +"You're a good fellow, Barret; I knew you would come; but you look warm. +Have you been running?" asked Mabberly, opening the door of his lodging +to his friend. "Come in: I have news for you. Giles Jackman has agreed +to go. Isn't that a comfort? for, besides his rare and valuable +sporting qualities, he is more than half a doctor, which will be +important, you know, if any of us should get ill or come to grief. Sit +down and we'll talk it over." + +Now, it was a telegram from Bob Mabberly which led John Barret to +suddenly undertake a sixty miles' ride that day, and which was thus the +indirect cause of the little old lady being run down. The telegram ran +as follows:-- + +"Come instanter. As you are. Clothes unimportant. Yacht engaged. +Crew also. Sail, without fail, Thursday. Plenty more to say when we +meet." + +"Now, you see, Bob, with your usual want of precision, or care, or some +such quality--" + +"Stop, Barret. Do be more precise in the use of language. How can the +want of a thing be a _quality_?" + +"You are right, Bob. Let me say, then, that with your usual unprecision +and carelessness you sent me a telegram, which could not reach me till +late on Wednesday night, after all trains were gone, telling me that you +sail, without fail, on Thursday, but leaving me to guess whether you +meant Thursday morning or evening." + +"How stupid! My dear fellow, I forgot that!" + +"Just so. Well to make sure of losing no time, instead of coming here +by trains, which, as you know, are very awkward and slow in our +neighbourhood, besides necessitating long waits and several changes, I +just packed my portmanteau, gun, rods, etcetera, and gave directions to +have them forwarded here by the first morning train, then took a few +winks of sleep, and at the first glimmer of daylight mounted my wheel +and set off across country as straight as country roads would permit +of--and--here I am." + +"True, Barret, and in good time for tea too. We don't sail till +morning, for the tide does not serve till six o'clock, so that will give +us plenty of time to put the finishing touches to our plans, allow your +things to arrive, and permit of our making--or, rather, renewing--our +acquaintance with Giles Jackman. You remember him, don't you?" + +"Yes, faintly. He was a broad, sturdy, good-humoured, reckless, little +boy when I last saw him at old Blatherby's school." + +"Just so. Your portrait is correct. I saw him last month, after a good +many years' interval, and he is exactly what he was, but considerably +exaggerated at every point. He is not, indeed, a little, but a middle +sized man now; as good-humoured as ever; much more reckless; sturdier +and broader a great deal, with an amount of hair about his lip, chin, +and head generally that would suffice to fit out three or four average +men. He has been in India--in the Woods and Forests Department, or +something of that sort--and has killed tigers, elephants, and such-like +by the hundred, they say; but I've met him only once or twice, and he +don't speak much about his own doings. He is home on sick-leave just +now." + +"Sick-leave! Will he be fit to go with us?" asked Barret, doubtfully. + +"Fit!" cried Mabberly. "Ay, much more fit than you are, strong and +vigorous though you be, for the voyage home has not only cured him; it +has added superabundant health. Voyages always do to sick +Anglo-Indians, don't you know? However ill a man may be in India, all +he has to do is to obtain leave of absence and get on board of a ship +homeward bound, and straightway health, rushing in upon him like a +river, sends him home more than cured. So now our party is made up, +yacht victualled, anchor tripped; and--`all's well that ends well.'" + +"But all is not ended, Bob. Things have only begun, and, as regards +myself, they have begun disastrously," said Barret, who thereupon +related the incident of the little old lady being run down. + +"My dear fellow," cried Mabberly, laughing, "excuse me, don't imagine me +indifferent to the sufferings of the poor old thing; but do you really +suppose that one who was tough enough, after such a collision, to sit up +at all, with or without the support of the railings, and give way to +indignant abuse--" + +"Not abuse, Bob, indignant looks and sentiments; she was too thorough a +lady to think of abuse--" + +"Well, well; call it what you please; but you may depend upon it that +she is not much hurt, and you will hear nothing more about the matter." + +"That's it! That's the very thing that I dread," returned Barret, +anxiously. "To go through life with the possibility that I may be an +uncondemned and unhung murderer is terrible to think of. Then I can't +get over the meanness of my running away so suddenly. If any one had +said I was capable of such conduct I should have laughed at him. Yet +have I lived to do it--contemptibly--in cold blood." + +"Contemptibly it may have been, but not in cold blood, for did you not +say you were roused to a state of frenzied alarm at the sight of the +bobby? and assuredly, although unhung as yet, you are not uncondemned, +if self-condemnation counts for anything. Come, don't take such a +desponding view of the matter. We shall see the whole affair in the +morning papers before sailing, with a report of the old lady's name and +condition--I mean condition of health--as well as your unmanly flight, +without leaving your card; so you'll be able to start with an easy--Ha! +a cab! yes, it's Jackman. I know his manservant," said Mabberly, as he +looked out at the window. + +Another moment and a broad-chested man, of about five-and-twenty, with a +bronzed face--as far as hair left it visible--a pair of merry blue eyes, +and a hearty manner, was grasping his old schoolfellows by the hand, and +endeavouring to trace the likeness in John Barret to the quiet little +boy whom he used to help with his tasks many years before. + +"Man, who would have thought you could have grown into such a great +long-legged fellow?" he said stepping back to take a more perfect look +at his friend, who returned the compliment by asking who could have +imagined that he would have turned into a Zambezian gorilla. + +"Where'll I put it, sor?" demanded a voice of metallic bassness in the +doorway. + +"Down there--anywhere, Quin," said Jackman turning quickly; "and be off +as fast as you can to see after that rifle and cartridges." + +"Yes, sor," returned the owner of the bass voice, putting down a small +portmanteau, straightening himself, touching his forehead with a +military salute, and stalking away solemnly. + +"I say, Giles, it's not often one comes across a zoological specimen +like that. Where did you pick him up?" asked Mabberly. + +"In the woods and forests of course," said Jackman, "where I have picked +up everything of late--from salary to jungle fevers. He's an old +soldier--also on sick-leave, though he does not look like it. He came +originally from the west of Ireland, I believe; but there's little of +the Irishman left, save the brogue and the honesty. He's a first-rate +servant, if you know how to humour him, and, being a splendid cook, we +shall find him useful." + +"I hope so," said Mabberly, with a dubious look. + +"Why, Bob, do you suppose I would have offered him as cook and steward +if I had not felt sure of him?" + +"Of course not; and I would not have accepted him if I had not felt sure +of you, Giles, my boy; so come along and let's have something to eat." + +"But you have not yet told me, Bob," said Jackman, while the three +friends were discussing their meal, "what part of the world you intend +to visit. Does your father give you leave to go wherever you please, +and stay as long as you choose?" + +"No; he limits me to the Western Isles." + +"That's an indefinite limitation. D'you mean the isles of the Western +Pacific?" + +"No; only those of the west of Scotland. And, to tell you the truth, I +have no settled or definite plan. Having got leave to use the yacht all +the summer on condition that I don't leave our own shores, I have +resolved to begin by running at once to the wildest and farthest away +part of the kingdom, leaving circumstances to settle the rest." + +"A circumstantial account of the matter, no doubt, yet rather vague. +Have you a good crew?" + +"Yes; two men and a boy, one of the men being skipper, and the nearest +approach to a human machine you ever saw. He is a Highlander, a +thorough seaman, hard as mahogany and about as dark, stiff as a poker, +self-contained, silent, except when spoken to, and absolutely obedient." + +"And we set sail to-morrow, early?" asked Barret. + +"Yes; after seeing the morning papers," said Mabberly with a laugh. + +This, of course, turned the conversation on the accident, much to the +distress of Barret, who feared that the jovial, off-hand reckless man +from the "woods and forests" would laugh at and quiz him more severely +than his friend Bob. To his surprise and great satisfaction, however, +he found that his fears were groundless, for Jackman listened to the +account of the incident quite gravely, betrayed not the slightest +tendency to laugh, or even smile; asked a good many questions in an +interested tone, spoke encouragingly as to the probable result, and +altogether showed himself to be a man of strong sympathy as well as high +spirits. + +Next morning found our three adventurers dropping down the Thames with +the first of the ebb tide, and a slight breeze from the south-west; +Mabberly and Jackman in the very small cabin looking after stores, guns, +rods, etcetera; Barret anxiously scanning the columns of a newspaper; +Quin and the skipper making each other's acquaintance with much of the +suspicion observable in two bull-dogs who meet accidentally; the boy in +the fore part of the vessel coiling ropes; and the remainder of the crew +at the helm. + +"Port! port! stiddy," growled the skipper. + +"Port it is; steady," replied the steersman in a sing-song professional +tone, as a huge steamer from the antipodes went slowly past, like a +mighty leviathan of the deep. + +"Is it to the north, south, east, or west we're bound for, captain?" +asked Quin, with a voice like that of a conciliatory bassoon. + +"I don't know where we're bound for," growled the skipper slowly. +"Starboard a bit; stiddy!" + +"Steady!" sang out the man at the tiller. + +A few hours carried them into the German Ocean. Here Quin thought he +would try again for a little information. + +"Sure it's nor'-east we're steerin', captain," he remarked in a casual +way. + +"No, it's not," growled the skipper, very much through his nose; "she's +headin' west." + +"It's to _somewhere_ that coorse will take us in the ind, no doubt, if +we carry on?" suggested Quin, interrogatively. + +"Ay; oot to sea," replied the skipper. + +Quin was obliged to give it up for the time being. + +For some time they were nearly becalmed; then, as the land dropped +astern and the shades of night deepened, the wind fell altogether, and, +when the stars came out, a profound calm prevailed over the gently +undulating sea. The exuberant spirits of our three friends were subdued +by the sweet influences around, and, as the hour for rest drew near, the +conversation, which at first became fitful, dropped at last to silence. + +This was broken at length by Jackman saying, to the surprise of his +companions, "What d'you say to reading a chapter before turning in? I'm +fond of striking what's called a key-note. If we begin this +pleasure-trip with an acknowledgment of our dependence on God, we shall +probably have a really pleasant time of it. What say you?" + +Both Mabberly and Barret gladly agreed to their friend's proposal--for +both had been trained in God-fearing families--though neither would have +had the courage to make the proposal himself. The crew were invited to +join, and thus family worship was established on board the _Fairy_ from +the first day. + +Only one point is worthy of note in connection with this--although no +one noted it particularly at the time, namely, that the portion of +Scripture undesignedly selected contained that oft-quoted verse, "Ye +know not what a day may bring forth." + +The truth of this was very soon thrust home upon them by stern +experience. + + + +CHAPTER TWO. + +THE VOYAGE AUSPICIOUSLY BEGUN AND PROMPTLY ENDED. + +A voyage up the east coast of Great Britain and through the Pentland +Firth does not usually take a long time. When the vessel is a swift +little schooner-yacht, and the breeze is stiff as well as fair, the +voyage is naturally a brief one. + +Everything favoured the little _Fairy_. Sun, moon, and stars cheered +her, and winds were propitious, so that our voyagers soon found +themselves skimming over the billows of the western sea. + +It was one part of Mabberly's plan that he and his friends should do +duty as part of the crew. He was himself accustomed to the handling of +yachts, and Barret he knew had been familiar with the management of +boats from childhood. + +"You can steer, of course?" he had asked Giles Jackman almost as soon as +they were fairly at sea. + +"Well, ye-es, oh yes. No doubt I could steer if I were to try." + +"Have you never tried?" asked his friend in surprise. + +"Oh yes, I have tried--once. It was on an occasion when a number of us +had gone on a picnic. We had to proceed part of the way to our +destination by river in a small boat, which was managed by a regular old +sea-dog--I forget his name, for we generally hailed him by the title of +Old Salt. Some of the impatient members of the party suggested a little +preliminary lunch. There are always people ready to back up impatient +suggestions! It was agreed to, and Old Salt was ordered to open the +provision basket, which had been stowed away in the bows of the boat. +`Would you steer, sir?' said Old Salt to me, as he rose to go forward. +`Certainly, with pleasure,' said I, for, as you know, it's an old +weakness of mine to be obliging! Well, in a few minutes they were all +eating away as if they'd had no breakfast, while we went merrily down +the river, with the current and a light breeze in our favour. + +"Suddenly Old Salt shouted something that was smothered in its passage +through a bite of sandwich. I looked up, and saw a native canoe coming +straight towards us. `Port!' roared Old Salt, in an explosion that +cleared away half the sandwich. `No, thankee; I prefer sherry,' said I. +But I stopped there, for I saw intuitively from the yell with which he +interrupted me that something was wrong. `_Hard_ a-port!' he cried, +jumping up and scattering his rations. I shoved the tiller hard to the +side that suggested itself, and hoped for the best. The worst followed, +for we struck the native canoe amidships, as it was steering wildly out +of our way, and capsized it! There were only two men in it, and they +could swim like ducks; but the river was full of alligators, and two +sharp-set ones were on the scent instantly. It is my opinion that those +two natives would, then and there, have been devoured, if we had not run +in between and made such a splashing and hullaballoo with boat-hook, +oars, and voices, that the monsters were scared away. I have never +steered since that day." + +"I don't wonder; and, with my consent, you shall not steer now," said +Mabberly, laughing. "Why, Giles, I was under the impression that you +understood everything, and could do almost anything!" + +"Quite a mistake, Bob, founded in error or superstition. You have +confused the will with the deed. I am indeed willing to try anything, +but my capacity for action is limited, like my knowledge. In regard to +the higher mathematics, for instance, I know nothing. Copper-mining I +do not understand. I may say the same with reference to Tartar +mythology, and as regards the management of infants under two years I am +densely ignorant." + +"But do you really know nothing at all about boats and ships, Giles?" +asked Barret, who, being a good listener, did not always shine as a +speaker. + +"How can you ask such a question? Of course I know a great deal about +them. They float, they sail and row, they steer--" + +"Rather badly sometimes, according to your own showing!" remarked +Barret. + +Having cleared the Pentland Firth, Mabberly consulted the skipper one +morning as to the prospects of the weather. "Going to fall calm, I +fear," he said, as McPherson came aft with his hands in his pilot-coat +pockets. + +"Ay, sir, that iss true, what-e-ver." + +To pronounce the last word correctly, the central "e" must be run into a +long-drawn, not an interjectional, sound. + +"More-o-ver," continued the skipper, in his drawling nasal tone, "it's +goin' to be thick." + +Being a weather-wise man, the skipper proved to be right. It did come +thick; then it cleared, and, as we have said, things became favourable +until they got further out to sea. Then a fancy took possession of +Mabberly--namely, to have a "spin out into the Atlantic and see how it +looked!" It mattered not to Jackman or Barret what they did or where +they went; the first being exuberantly joyous, the other quietly happy. +So they had their run out to sea; but twenty-four hours of it sufficed-- +it became monotonous. + +"I think we'd better go back now," suggested Mabberly. + +"Agreed," said his companions. + +"Iss it goin' back you'll be?" asked the skipper. + +"Yes. Don't you think we may as well turn now?" said Mabberly, who made +it a point always, if possible, to carry the approbation of the skipper +with him. + +"I think it wass petter if we had niver come oot." + +"Why so, Captain?" + +"Because it's comin' on to plow. Putt her roond, Shames." + +James McGregor, to whom the order was given, and who was the _other_ man +of the crew, obeyed. The yacht, which had latterly been beating against +a headwind, now ran gaily before it towards the Scottish coast, but when +night closed in no outlying islands were visible. + +"We wull hev to keep a sharp look-oot, Shames," remarked the skipper, as +he stopped in his monotonous perambulation of the deck to glance at the +compass. + +"Oo, ay," responded McGregor, with the air of a man who knew that as +well as his superior. + +"What do you fear?" asked Mabberly, coming on deck at the moment to take +a look at the night before turning in. + +"I fear naething, sir," replied McPherson, gravely. + +"I mean, what danger threatens us?" + +"None that I ken o'; but we're makin' the land, an' it behooves us to +ca' canny." + +It may be well to remark here that the skipper, having voyaged much on +all parts of the Scottish coast, had adopted and mixed up with his own +peculiar English several phrases and words in use among the lowland +Scots. + +Next morning, when Mabberly again visited the deck, he found the skipper +standing on the same spot where he had left him, apparently in the same +attitude, and with the same grave, sleepless expression on his cast-iron +features. The boy, Robin Tips, was at the helm, looking very sleepy. +He was an English boy, smart, active, and wide-awake--in the slang +sense--in which sense also we may add that he was "cheeky." + +But neither the skipper nor Tips was very visible at the distance of +three yards, owing to a dense fog which prevailed. It was one of those +white, luminous, dry fogs which are not at all depressing to the +spirits, though obstructive to the eyes, and which are generally, if not +always, accompanied by profound calm. + +"Has it been like this long?" asked Mabberly, after the first +salutations. + +"Ay, sir, a coot while." + +"And have we made no progress during the night?" + +"Oo, ay, a coot bit. We should nae be far off some o' the islands noo, +but it's hard to say, wi' naither sun, moon, nor stars veesible to let +us fin' oot where we are." + +Jackman and Barret came on deck at the moment, closely followed by Quin, +who, quietly ignoring the owner of the yacht, went up to his master and +said-- + +"Tay's riddy, sor." + +"Breakfast, you mean," said Mabberly, with a smile. + +"Sure I wouldn't conterdick--ye, sor, av ye was to call it supper--but +it was tay that I put in the pot." + +At breakfast the conversation somehow turned upon boats--ship's boats-- +and their construction. + +"It is quite disgraceful," said Jackman, "the way in which Government +neglects that matter of boats. Some things, we know, will never be +generally adopted unless men are compelled to adopt them. Another +biscuit, Barret." + +"Instance something, Giles," said Mabberly, "and pass the butter. I +hate to hear sweeping assertions of an indefinite nature, which no one +can either corroborate or confute." + +"Well, there is the matter of lowering boats into the water from a +ship's davits. Now, I'll be bound that the apparatus for lowering your +little punt astern is the ordinary couple of blocks--one at the stem, +the other at the stern?" + +"Of course it is. What then?" + +"Why, then, don't you know what would happen if you were lowering that +boat full of people in a rough sea, and the man at the bow failed to +unhook his block at the exact same moment as the man at the stern?" + +"Yes, I know too well, Giles, for I have seen it happen. The boat, on +the occasion I refer to, was hung up by one of the blocks, all the +people were dropped into the water, and several of the women and +children drowned. But how is Government to remedy that?" + +"Thus, Bob, thus. There is a splendid apparatus invented by somebody +which holds fast the two blocks. By means of an iron lever worked by +_one_ man, the rod is disengaged from both blocks at the same instant. +You cannot work it wrong if you tried to do so. Now, the Government has +only to compel the adoption of that apparatus in the Royal and Merchant +Navies, and the thing is done." + +"Then, again," continued Jackman, devouring food more ravenously in +proportion as he warmed with his subject, "look at the matter of rafts. +How constantly it happens that boats get swamped and lost while being +launched in cases of shipwreck at sea, and there is nothing left for the +crews and passengers, after the few remaining boats are filled, save +loose spars or a hastily and ill-made raft; for of course things cannot +be well planned and constructed in the midst of panic and sudden +emergency. Now, it has been suggested, if not actually carried out, +that mattresses should be made of cork, with bands and straps to +facilitate buckling them together, and that a ship's chairs, tables, +camp-stools, etcetera, should be so constructed as to be convertible +into rafts, which might be the means of saving hundreds of lives that +would, under present arrangements, inevitably be lost. Why, I ask, does +not Government see to this? have a special committee appointed to +investigate, find out the best plan, and compel its adoption? Men will +never do this. They are too obstinate. What's wanted is that our +ladies should take it up, and howl with indignation till it is done." + +"My dear Giles, ladies never howl," said Barret, quietly tapping the end +of an egg; "they smile, and gently insinuate--that is always sufficient, +because irresistible!" + +"Well, being a bachelor I cannot say much on that point," returned +Jackman. "But I was not aware that _you_ were married?" + +"Neither am I; but I have a mother and sisters, aunts and cousins, and I +know their ways." + +"If such are their ways, I must get you to introduce me to them," said +the woods-and-forester. "Come on deck, now, and I will give you a +practical illustration of what might be done." + +Jackman, being an enthusiast, always went at things, "with a will." + +"Bring me a hen-coop, Quin," he said to the steward, who, having so far +completed his morning work, and consumed his morning meal, was smoking +his pipe, seated on the rail beside Tips. Tips was an admirer of the +Irishman, and, in consequence, an imitator as far as he dared and was +permitted. + +"Lend a hand, ye spalpeen," said Quin, going forward, and quickly +returning with the coop, from which a cackling of strong remonstrance +issued. + +"Will ye have the other wan too, sor?" + +"Yes, and the main-hatch besides, and a lot of spun-yarn. Of course +that's not strong enough for real service, but it will do for +illustration." + +In a few minutes the two hen-coops were placed face to face and lashed +firmly together, despite the remonstrative poultry. Then the main-hatch +was laid upon the top, and fixed there by means of the iron rings at its +four corners. + +"Now, Quin, fetch four of the cabin chairs," said the operator, "and +observe, gentlemen, how much more easily and quickly this would have +been accomplished if the coops, and hatch, and chairs had been made to +fit into each other, with a view to this very purpose, with strong +straps and buckles in handy positions. Now, then, for the chairs." + +At each corner of this extemporised raft Jackman fastened one of the +cabin chairs, pointing out, as he did so, that there was no limit to the +extension of the raft. + +"You see," he continued, "all you would have to do, if the ship were +properly fitted out, would be to add chair to chair, bench to bench, +cork mattress to mattress, until your raft was as big as you wanted; or +you could make two or three rafts, if preferable." + +"But sure, sor, it would be an unstiddy machine intirely, an' given to +wobblin'," said Quin, who was one of those privileged men who not only +work for their wages, but generously throw their opinions into the +bargain. + +"It would not be more unsteady than the waves, Quin; and as to wobbling, +that would be an advantage, for a rigid raft in a rough sea would be +more liable to be damaged than one that was pliable." + +The discussion about rafts and ship's boats which thus began was +continued with much interest till lunchtime, for it chanced that John +Barret was one of those men whose tendency of heart and mind is to turn +everything to its best uses, and generally to strive after the highest +point of perfection in everything, with a view to the advancement of +human felicity. This tendency called into exercise his inventive +faculties, inducing him to search after improvements of all +descriptions. Thus it was natural that he and Jackman should enter into +a keen controversy, as to what was the best method of constructing the +raft in detail; and that, when the faithful Quin announced lunch as +being, "riddy, sor," the life-saving machine was left in an incomplete +state on the deck. + +The interest attaching to this discussion had helped the three comrades +and crew alike, to tide over what might otherwise have proved a tedious +forenoon, for during the whole of that day the dense fog and profound +calm continued. + +On returning to the deck the discussion was continued for a time, but +gradually the interest flagged, then other subjects engaged attention, +and the raft was finally allowed to lie undisturbed and forgotten. + +"I don't know how it is," said Bob Mabberly; "but somehow I always feel +a depression of spirits in a fog at sea." + +"Explanation simple enough," returned Jackman; "are we not constantly +reading in the papers of ships being run down in fogs? Where there is +risk there is always in some minds anxiety--in your case you call it +depression of spirits." + +"Your explanation, Giles, uncomplimentary to me though it be, might have +some force if we were just now in the Channel, where being run down in +fog is an event of frequent occurrence; but here, in a comparatively +unfrequented sea, it would be strange indeed were I to be influenced by +such possibilities. What say you, Captain?" + +McPherson, who had sauntered towards the group, gazed in the direction +where the horizon would have been visible had the fog been absent, and +said:-- + +"Hm!--weel--" and then stopped, as if for the purpose of mature +consideration. The audience waited for the announcement of the oracle's +opinion. + +"Oo ay--weel, ye see, many persons are strangely influenced by +possibeelities, what-e-ver. There is a maiden aunt o' my own--she wass +niver marrit, an' she wass niver likely to be, for besides bein' poor +an' plain, an' mittle-aged, which are not in my opeenion objectionable, +she had an uncommon bad temper. Yet she wass all her life influenced by +the notion that half the young men o' the place wass wantin' to marry +her! though the possibeelities in her case wass fery small." + +"I should like to 'ave know'd that old gurl!" whispered Tips to Quin. + +"Howld your tongue, ye spalpeen!" whispered his friend in reply. + +"Have you any idea, Captain, where we are now?" asked Jackman. + +"Oo ay, we're somewhere's wast'ard o' the Lewis. But whether wast, +nor'-wast, or sooth-wast, I could not say preceesely. The nicht, ye +see, wass uncommon dark, an' when the fog came doon i' the mornin', I +could na' feel sure we had keep it the richt coorse, for the currents +hereaboots are strang. But we'll see whan it comes clear." + +"Do you believe in presentiments, Giles?" asked Barret, in an unusually +grave tone. + +"Of course I do," answered Jackman. "I have a presentiment just now +that you are going to talk nonsense." + +Barret was not, however, to be silenced by his friend's jest. + +"Listen," he said, earnestly, as he rose and stood in an attitude of +intense attention. "It may be imagination playing with the subjects of +our recent conversation, but I cannot help thinking that I hear the +beating of paddles." + +"Keep a sherp look-oot, Shames," cried the skipper, suddenly, as he went +forward with unwonted alacrity. + +A few minutes more and the sound which had at first been distinguished +only by Barret's sharp ear, became audible to all--the soft regular +patting of a paddle-wheel steamer in the distance, yet clearly coming +towards them. Presently a shrill sound, very faint but prolonged, was +heard, showing that she was blowing her steam-whistle as a precaution. + +"Strange, is it not, that the very thing we have been talking about +should happen?" said Mabberly. + +"Nay," returned Jackman, lightly, "we were talking about being run down, +and we have not yet come to that." + +"The strangest thing of all to me," said Barret, "is that, with a wide +ocean all round, vessels should ever run into each other at all, at +least on the open sea, for there is only one line, a few feet wide, in +favour of such an accident, whereas there are thousands of miles against +it." + +Jackman, who was a great theorist, here propounded a reason for this. + +"If vessels would only hold straight on their courses, you see," he +said, "the accident of collision would be exceedingly rare, for, +although thousands of ships might pass near to each other, not one in +ten thousand would meet; but when vessels come pretty near, their +commanders sometimes become anxious, take fancies into their heads, as +to each having forgotten the `rules of the road,' and each attempting to +correct the other--as we do sometimes in the streets--they bring about +the very disaster they are trying to avoid." + +"Had we not better ring the bell, Captain?" cried Mabberly, in rising +excitement. + +"Oo ay, if you think so, sir. Ring, poy!" + +The boy, who was getting alarmed, seized the tongue of the ship's bell, +and rang with all his might. Whether this had the effect to which +Jackman had referred, we cannot tell, but next moment what appeared to +be a mountain loomed out of the mist. The steam-whistle had been silent +for some time, but as soon as the bell was heard it burst forth with +increased fury. From the instant her form was dimly seen the fate of +the yacht was sealed. There was a wild shouting on board the steamer, +but there was no time for action. + +"Starboard hard!" was the cry. + +"Starboard it is!" was the immediate answer. But before the helm could +act, the great rushing mass struck the _Fairy_ amidships, and literally +cut her in two! + +The awful suddenness of a catastrophe, which those on board had just +been arguing was all but impossible, seemed to have paralysed every one, +for no one made the slightest effort to escape. Perhaps the appearance +of the wall-like bow of the steamer, without rope or projection of any +kind to lay hold of, or jump at, might have conveyed the swift +perception that their case was hopeless. At all events, they all went +under with the doomed yacht, and nothing was left in the wake of the +leviathan but a track of foam on the mist-encumbered sea. + +But they were not lost! One after another the wrecked party rose +struggling to the surface, and all of them could swim except the boy. + +Giles Jackman was the first who rose. Treading water and brushing the +hair out of his eyes, he gazed wildly about. Barret came up close +beside him, almost a moment later. He had barely taken breath, when the +others rose at various distances. A cry not far from him caused him to +turn. It was poor Robin Tips, struggling for life. A few powerful +strokes carried Barret alongside. He got behind the boy, caught him +under the armpits, and thus held him, at arm's length, until he could +quiet him. + +"There is a spar, thank God! Make for it, Barret, while I see to Quin," +shouted Jackman. + +As he spoke, they could hear the whistle of the steamer rushing away +from them. + +Barret, forcing himself breast-high out of the water, glanced quickly +round, and caught sight of the floating spar, to which his companion had +referred. Although only a few yards off, the fog rendered it almost +invisible. + +"Are you quiet now?" demanded Barret, in a stern voice, for the +terrified boy still showed something like a hysterical determination to +turn violently round, and grasp his rescuer in what would probably have +turned out to be the grip of death. + +"Yes, sir, oh! yes. But d-don't let me go! M-mind, I can't swim!" + +"You are perfectly safe if you simply do nothing but what I tell you," +returned Barret, in a quiet, ordinary tone of voice, that reassured the +poor lad more than the words. + +By way of reply he suddenly became motionless, and as limp as a dead +eel. + +Getting gradually on his back, and drawing Tips slowly on to his chest, +so that he rested with his mouth upwards, and his head entirely out of +the water, Barret struck out for the spar, swimming thus on his back. + +On reaching it, he found to his surprise that it was the experimental +raft, and that the captain, Mabberly, and McGregor were already clinging +to it. + +"Won't bear us all, I fear," said Mabberly; "but thank God that we have +it. Put the boy on." + +In order to do this, Barret had to get upon the raft, and he found that +it bore him easily as well as the boy. + +"Have you seen Jackman?" asked Mabberly. + +"Yes," replied Barret, rising and looking round. + +"Here he comes, towing Quin, I think, who seems to be stunned. Hallo! +This way--hi! Giles!" + +But Giles suddenly ceased to swim, turned over on his back, and lay as +if dead. + +"Rescue, Bob, rescue!" shouted Barret, plunging into the water. +Mabberly followed, and soon had hold of Giles and his man by the hair. + +"All right!" said Jackman, turning round; "I was only taking a rest. No +one lost, I hope?" + +"No; all safe, so far." + +"You can tow him in now. I'm almost used up," said Jackman, making for +the raft. "He's only stunned, I think." + +It was found that the Irishman had in truth been only stunned when they +lifted him on to the raft, for he soon began to show signs of returning +life, and a large bump on his head sufficiently explained the nature of +his injury. + +But when the whole party had cautiously clambered up on the raft it sank +so deep that they scarcely dared to move. To make matters worse, they +clearly distinguished the steamer's whistle going farther and farther +away, as if she were searching for them in a wrong direction. This was +indeed the case, and although they all shouted singly and together, the +whistle grew fainter by degrees, and finally died away. + +With feelings approaching to despair, the crew of the frail raft began +to talk of the prospect before them, when they were silenced by a slight +movement in the mist. The white curtain was lifted for a few yards, and +revealed to their almost incredulous eyes a rocky shore, backed by a +range of precipitous cliffs, with a wild mountainous region beyond. + +As the sea was still perfectly calm, there was no surf. Our castaways, +therefore, with the exception of Quin and the boy, quietly slipped into +the water, and, with thankful hearts, propelled the raft vigorously +towards the shore. + + + +CHAPTER THREE. + +THE WRECK IS FOLLOWED BY REPOSE, REFRESHMENT, SURPRISE, AND DISASTER. + +The distance from land was not more than a few hundred yards; +nevertheless, it occupied a considerable time to pass over that space, +the raft being ill-adapted for quick progression through the water. + +Close to the shore there was a flat rock, to which, as they approached +it, their attention was drawn by the appearance of what seemed to be +living creatures of some sort. Quin and Robin Tips, sitting on the +raft, naturally saw them first. + +"I do belave it's men, for they're liftin' their hids an' lookin' at us. +Av it was the South Says, now, I'd say they was saviges peepin' at us +over the rocks." + +"P'raps they're boys a-bathin'," suggested Tips. + +"Are they white?" asked Captain McPherson, who, being chin-deep in the +water and behind the raft, could not see the rock referred to. + +"No; sure they seem to be grey, or blue." + +"Oo, they'll be seals," returned the skipper, nasally--a tone which is +eminently well adapted for sarcastic remark without the necessity of +elaborate language. + +"In coorse they is," said Tips; "don't you see they're a-heavin' up +their tails as well as their 'eads?" + +On advancing a few yards farther, all doubt upon the question was put at +rest. The animals, of which about a dozen were enjoying themselves on +the rock, raised themselves high on their flippers and gazed, with +enormous eyes, at the strange-looking monster that was coming in from +the sea! Thus they remained, apparently paralysed with astonishment, +until the raft was within pistol-shot, and then, unable to endure the +suspense longer, they all slipped off into the sea. + +A few minutes later and the raft struck on the shore. And well was it +for the party that the weather chanced to be so fine, for if there had +been anything like a breeze, their frail contrivance would inevitably +have been dashed to pieces. Even a slight swell from the westward would +have raised such a surf on that rugged shore that it would have been +impossible for the best of swimmers to have landed without broken limbs, +if not loss of life. As it was, they got ashore not only without +difficulty, but even succeeded in hauling the raft up on the beach +without much damage to its parts--though, of course, the unfortunate +fowls in the hen-coops had all perished! + +While Mabberly and the others were engaged in securing the raft, Barret +was sent off along shore with directions to ascertain whether there was +any habitation near. To his right the high cliffs came down so close to +the sea that it seemed very improbable that any cottage or hamlet could +be found in that direction. He therefore turned towards the left, where +the cliffs receded some distance from the shore, leaving a narrow strip +of meadow land. + +Hurrying forward about a quarter of a mile, he stopped and looked about +him. The sun was still high in the heavens--for the days are long and +nights brief in that region during summer--and its rays had so far +scattered the mists that all the low-lying land was clear, though the +mountain-range inland was only visible a short distance above its base. +The effect of this was to enhance the weird grandeur of the view, for +when the eye had traced the steep glens, overhanging cliffs, rugged +water-courses, and sombre corries upward to the point where all was lost +in cloud, the imagination was set free to continue the scenery to +illimitable heights. + +The youth was still gazing upward, with solemnised feelings, when there +was presented to him one of those curious aspects of nature which are +sometimes, though rarely, witnessed in mountainous regions. Suddenly an +opening occurred in the clouds--or mist--which shrouded the +mountain-tops, and the summit of a stupendous cliff bathed in rich +sunshine, was seen as if floating in the air. Although obviously part +of the mountain near the base of which he stood, this cliff--completely +isolated as it was--seemed a magical effect, and destitute of any real +connection with earth. + +While he was looking in wonder and admiration at the sight, he observed +a bird hovering about motionless in the blue vault high above the +cliffs. Although inexperienced in such scenery and sights, Barret knew +well enough that nothing but an eagle--and that of the largest size-- +could be visible at all at such a distance. Suddenly the bird sailed +downwards with a grand circular sweep, and was lost among the shadows of +the perpendicular rocks. A few minutes more and the mists drifted over +the opening, causing the vision to disappear. + +This was Barret's first view of the Eagle Cliff, which was destined to +exercise a powerful and lasting influence upon his fortunes! + +A few yards beyond this the explorer came upon a sheep track, and a +little farther on he found one of those primitive roads which are formed +in wild out-of-the-way places by the passage of light country carts, +with the aid of a few rounded stones where holes required to be filled +up, or soft places strengthened. Following it a short distance to a +spot where it ran between a precipice and the shore, he came suddenly in +sight of a wilderness of fallen rocks, which were varied in size from +mere pebbles to masses the size of an omnibus. These had all fallen +from a steep spur of the mountains which projected towards the sea of +that place. The whole of the level land at the base of the spur was +strewn with them; some being old, moss-covered and weather-worn, others +fresh and sharp in outline, as if they had fallen only the previous +winter, as probably they had, for the places from which they had been +dislodged could be seen still fresh and light-coloured, nearly a +thousand feet up on the riven cliffs. It was a species of desolation +that powerfully recalled some scenes in Dante's "Inferno," and had a +depressing effect on the youth's spirits, for nothing seemed more +unlikely than the existence of a human habitation in such a place. + +A new view of the matter broke upon him, however, when he suddenly +became aware that a spot in the confused scene which he had taken to be +a clump of withered bracken was in reality a red cow! Looking a little +more narrowly at objects he soon perceived a hut among the rocks. It +was so small and rude and rugged as almost to escape detection. A +furious barking soon told that he had been seen, and two collie dogs +rushed towards him with demonstrations that threatened him with +immolation on the spot. The uproar put life into a few more clumps of +red bracken, and produced a lively display of sheep and cattle +throughout the region. + +Barret walked straight up to the door of the hut, and the collies +withdrew from the attack--as most noisy demonstrators do when treated +with silent indifference. + +"Is there any one inside?" he asked of a bare-legged, shaggy-headed boy, +who came out and gazed at him, apparently with his mouth as well as his +eyes. + +"Na," answered the boy. + +"Any other cottages or houses near this?" + +"Ay; yonder." + +The boy pointed in the direction of the sea, where, in a stony nook +between two jutting masses of rock, nestled about a dozen huts built of +boulder stones gathered from the sea-shore. So small were these huts, +and so stupendous the rocks around them, that they might easily have +been overlooked by a careless eye. So might the half-dozen +fishing-boats that lay in the little cove beside them. + +A stream or rivulet--better known in Scotland as a burn--ran past the +hamlet, formed a pool just below it, and dropped into the cove close to +the place where the boats lay. + +Rejoiced to find even the poorest kind of shelter in such a place, +Barret hastened down to the cove, and, tapping at the door of the +largest of the cottages, was bidden "come in" by a soft voice. + +Entering, he was surprised to find a neatly, though plainly, furnished +room, which was evidently the kitchen of the house--indeed, the sole +room, with the exception of an off-shoot closet. The large open +fireplace contained a peat fire on the hearth, over which hung a +bubbling pot. There were two box-beds opposite the fire, and in the +wall which faced the door there was a very small window, containing four +panes of glass, each of which had a knot in the middle of it. One of +them also presented the phenomenon of a flattened nose, for the boy with +the ragged head had rushed down and stationed himself there to observe +the result of the unexpected and singular visit. + +Beside the window, in a homely arm-chair, sat an invalid girl with pale +thin cheeks, bright blue eyes, and long flaxen hair. If not pretty, she +was, at all events, extremely interesting, and possessed the great charm +of a winning smile. + +Apologising for causing her alarm by his damp, dishevelled, and sudden +appearance, Barret asked if there were any men about the place. + +No, there were none there at the moment; most of them being out after +the sheep and cattle, and some gathering peat, or away in the boats. + +"But surely they have not left you all by yourself?" said Barret, struck +not only by the appearance of the girl, but by the comparative +refinement of her language. + +"Oh no!" she replied, with a slight smile; "they look well after me. +Mrs Anderson has only gone to fetch some peats. But where have you +come from, sir? Your clothes are all wet!" + +"You are right. I have just been saved from drowning, through God's +mercy, along with my companions." + +Here Barret gave her a brief outline of the recent disaster, and then +asked if Mrs Anderson was her mother. + +"No; she is my aunt, but she is very good to me; takes as much care of +me as if I was her own daughter. I don't belong to this place. They +have sent me here for my health." + +At this point they were interrupted by Mrs Anderson herself, who +entered with a load of peat, which she flung down, shook her fist at the +nose-flattener outside, and turned in astonishment to her visitor. + +Of course our shipwrecked friend had to retail his story to the woman, +and then learned from her that the island was a very large one, with a +name unpronounceable by English lips, that it was very thinly inhabited, +that it consisted almost entirely of pasture land, and that "the laird" +owned a large portion of it, including the little fishing village of +"Cove." + +While the woman was speaking an elderly man entered, whom she introduced +as her husband Ian. To him Barret had to re-repeat his story, and then +asked if he and his friends could obtain shelter in the village for the +night. + +"Iss it shelter ye'll be wantin'? Ye'll hev that an' welcome, though it +will be of the poorest. But in the mornin' ye'll gang up to the hoose, +for the laird wud be ill-pleased if we keepit ye here." + +"Pray, who is this laird?" asked Barret; "your wife has already +mentioned him." + +"Maister Gordon is his name. He lives near the heed o' Loch Lossie. It +iss over eight mile from here," said Ian; "an' a coot shentleman he iss, +too. Fery fond o' company, though it iss not much company that comes +this way, for the steam-poats don't veesit the loch reg'lar or often. +He'll be fery glad to see you, sir, an' to help ye to git home. But +we'd petter be goin' to tell your freen's that we can putt them up for +the nicht. I'll go pack with ye, an we'll take the poy to help an' +carry up their things." + +"You forget that we have been wrecked," returned Barret with a laugh, +"and have no `things' to carry, except our own damp carcases." + +"That's true, sir, but we'll be none the worse o' the poy, what-e-ver. +Come away, Tonal'," said Ian, as they started back along the shore. "It +iss under the Eagle Cliff where ye came to laund, I make no doot?" + +"Well, I suppose it was; at least, there is a range of cliffs close to +the place where our raft struck." + +"Oo ay--but it iss not the wee precipices, it iss the big hull behind +them that we ca' the Eagle Cliff." + +"Oh, indeed! I saw that cliff in a peculiar manner as I came along," +said Barret giving a description of the scene. + +"Ay; it iss sometimes seen like that," said Ian; "an' we often see the +eagle, but it's no' possible to git a shot at that crater. The laird is +real keen to bring it doon, for it plays the mischief among the lambs, +an' him an' his freen's hes aften tried, but they hev not manicht it +yet." + +Thus chatting they soon reached the raft, and found the disconsolate +party waiting impatiently for them. + +"Shall we leave it where it lies, or drag it further up on the beach?" +asked Mabberly, referring to the raft. + +"Ye petter haul it a wee higher up," said Ian, examining the machine +with much interest; "for when it comes on to plow there's a heavy sea +here. Weel, weel, but it iss a strange contrivance!" + +"Ay; an' also a useful one," said the skipper, drily--at least as duly +as was possible in the circumstance. + +"Noo, shentlemen, I think we had petter be goin'." + +It was indeed time, for although the weather was warm and fine, the sun +had set, and their damp garments began to feel uncomfortable. + +At the Cove the whole party was accommodated in a single-roomed hut, +which chanced to be empty at the time. Here the hospitable fishermen +spread nets for bedding, and with plaids made up for the lack of +blankets. They also kindled a large peat fire, and put on a pot of +potatoes, and some splendid sea-trout, while Mrs Anderson prepared +oat-cakes at her own fire, and sent them in as required. + +"Noo, shentlemen, ye'll tak a tram?" said Ian, producing a black bottle. + +Immeasurable was the astonishment of the Highlander when the gentlemen +refused a dram. + +"But--but, ye'll catch yer death o' cauld, if ye don't!" he said, +remonstratively, as he stood bottle and glass in hand. + +"Thanks, friend," replied Jackman, "but we have taken in so much salt +water during our swim to land that we are not sure whether the whisky +would agree with it." + +"Hoots! havers!" exclaimed Ian, pouring out some of the liquid; "ye're +jokin'." + +"In truth we are not, then," said Mabberly; "for we are all total +abstainers." + +"Nonsense!" exclaimed Ian, who could not understand the principles or +feelings of men who, after a long exhausting swim in their clothes, were +capable of refusing whisky! For it is to be remembered that, although +the time we write of is comparatively recent, that remote island had not +been visited by any apostle of temperance or total abstinence in regard +to alcohol. Of course Ian had heard something of such principles, but +he did not believe in them, and certainly did not practise them. +"Hooiver, shentlemen," he added, "if ye wunna tak it--here's wushin' +your fery coot health!" + +Raising the glass, he drained it without winking, as if the contents had +been water, smacked his lips and put the bottle away. + +It must not be supposed that all the crew of the late unfortunate +_Fairy_ witnessed this proceeding unmoved, for, although they had all +been engaged on the understanding that no strong drink was to be allowed +or consumed while the voyage lasted, not one of them was a pledged +abstainer, and now that the voyage was ended it did seem as if the laws +of the voyage should no longer be binding. Still there remained a +feeling that, as long as they continued a united party, the spirit of +the agreement should not be broken; therefore the skipper and "Shames" +let the bottle pass with a sigh, and Quin followed suit with an +undertoned remark to Tips that, "he wouldn't have belaved tim'tation to +be so strong av he hadn't wrastled wid it!" + +By that time most of the men of the hamlet had returned, and a rig out +of fisher clothes was lent to each of the unfortunates, so that they +were enabled to pass the night in comfort while their own garments were +in front of a good fire. + +"Is that sick girl your daughter, Ian?" asked Giles Jackman that night, +as he walked on the shore with his host before retiring to rest. + +"No, sir; she's a niece--the daughter of a brother o' mine who hes +feathered his nest petter than me. He's a well-to-do grocer in Oban, +an' hes geen his bairn a pretty good edication; but it's my opeenion +they hev all but killed her wi' their edication, for the doctor has telt +them to stop it altogither, an' send her here for a change o' air." + +"Indeed! An interesting child, and so well-mannered, too," remarked +Jackman. + +"Humph! Nae doot she is. They do say that it's because my brither has +gotten an English wife. But for my pairt, oor weemen seem to me to be +as weel mainered as the weemen sooth o' the Tweed." + +"Quite as well, I doubt not; though I have not seen much of your +countrywomen, Ian. Besides, good manners are to be judged by varying +standards. What is good in the opinion of the Eskimo may be thought +very bad by the Hindoo, and _vice versa_. It is very much a matter of +taste. The manners of your niece, at all events, are admirable. Now it +is time to turn in. Good-night, Ian." + +The sun was high next morning when the wrecked men awoke, and began to +feel the outcries of nature with reference to breakfast. Long before +that time the men of Cove had gone off to the hills, the peat-hags, or +the sea, according to their respective callings. But Mrs Anderson had +a sumptuous breakfast of oatmeal porridge and fresh milk ready for the +strangers. + +"Musha! but it'll make me mouth wather all the afthernoon thinkin' of +it," said Quin, on finishing his second plateful. + +"It's prime wittles," remarked Tips, as he helped himself to more. + +"Now, Barret, have you finished?" asked Mabberly. + +"No; why?" + +"Because, in the first place, you are evidently eating too much for your +health, and, in the second place, I want you to go up to what Ian calls +the Hoose, as a deputation to the laird. You see, although we are +forced, as it were, to throw ourselves on his hospitality, I don't quite +like to descend on him all at once with the whole strength of our party. +It will be better for one of us to break the ice, and as you are the +best-looking and most hypocritically urbane, when you choose, I think we +could not do better than devolve the duty upon you." + +"Right, Bob, as usual; but don't you think," said Barret, helping +himself to another ladleful of the porridge, "that my going may cut in +two directions? Doubtless the laird would be agreeably surprised to +meet with me; but then that will raise his expectations so high, that he +will be woefully disappointed on meeting with _you_!" + +"Come, friends," cried Jackman, "it is dangerous to play with edged +tools immediately after a meal. My medical knowledge assures me of +that. I quite approve of Barret forming the deputation, and the sooner +he starts off the better. The rest of us will assist Ian to fish in his +absence." + +Thus authorised and admonished, Barret finished breakfast, put on his +own garments--which, like those of his companions, were semi-nautical-- +and sallied forth for an eight miles' walk over the mountains to the +mansion of the laird, which lay on the other side of the Eagle's Cliff +ridge, on the shores of Loch Lossie. + +He was guided the first part of the journey by Tonal' with the ragged +head, who, with an activity that seemed inexhaustible, led him up into +wild and rugged places such as he had never before dreamed of--rocky +fastnesses which, looked at from below, seemed inaccessible, even to +goats, but which, on being attempted, proved to be by no means beyond +the powers of a steady head and strong limbs. + +Reaching the summit of a heather-clad knoll that projected from a +precipitous part of the mountain-side, Barret paused to recover breath +and look back at the calm sea. It lay stretched out far below him, +looking, with its numerous islets in bird's-eye view, somewhat like a +map. The mists had completely cleared away, and the sun was glittering +on the white expanse like a line of light from the shore to the horizon. +Never before had our Englishman felt so like a bird, both as to the +point of vision from which he surveyed the glorious scene, and the +internal sensation of joy which induced him not only to wish that he +could fly, but to think that a very little more of such exultation of +spirit would enable him to do so! + +"Is that the Cove down there?" he asked of the ragged companion who +stood beside him. + +"Ay, that's the Cove!" + +"Why, Donald, it looks like a mere speck in the scene from here, and the +men look no bigger than crows." + +As this observation called for no answer none was given, and Donald +seemed to regard his companion as one who was rather weak-minded. + +"Have we come half-way yet, Donald?" + +"No--no' near." + +"Is it difficult to find the rest of the way from this point?" + +"No; but it wad be diffeecult to miss it." + +"Well, Donald, my boy, I have a strong desire to be alone--that is, to +try if I cannot go the rest of the way without guidance; so, if you will +just give me a little direction, I'll let you go home, and many thanks +for coming thus far. Now, point out the landmarks." + +He turned, as he spoke, towards the grand mountain that still towered +behind him. + +"There's naethin' t' pint oot," returned the boy; "ye've only t' haud on +by this sheep track till ee come close under the cliff yonder." + +"The Eagle Cliff?" + +"Ay. It'll bring ee to a cairt road, an' ye've only to follow that +through the pass, an' haud on till ee come to the hoose. Ye can see the +hoose frae the other side o' the pass." + +"And what is the `hoose' called?" asked Barret. + +"Kinlossie." + +"Thank you. Good-bye, my boy." + +A few coppers sent the youth of the ragged head away in high spirits. +The young man watched him till he was concealed by a clump of small +birch trees that hung like a fringe on the top of a neighbouring +precipice. Barret had just turned to continue the ascent to the Eagle +Cliff, whose frowning battlements still rose high above him, when a wild +shout from the boy made him turn and look anxiously back. The place +which he had reached was strewn with great masses of rock that had +fallen from the cliffs. He was about to clamber on to one of these, in +order to obtain a better view, when the cause of the shout became +obvious. A splendid stag, frightened from its lair by the boy, burst +from the birchwood, and, with antlers laid well back, bounded up the +slope towards him. It was closely followed by two does. + +Barret crouched at once behind the mass of rock. The deer, thinking, +doubtless, only of the danger behind, had failed to observe him. + +"Oh for Giles, with his rifle!" thought the youth, as the agile +creatures passed within less than a hundred yards of him, and headed +straight for the pass of the Eagle Cliff. + +Scarcely had the thought occurred, when a flapping noise behind caused +him to turn quickly. It was the eagle himself, sailing majestically and +slowly overhead, as though he knew full well that an Englishman without +a gun was a harmless creature! + +Considerably excited by these unexpected and, to him, stirring sights, +Barret pushed steadily upward, and soon reached a part of the pass +whence he could see the valley beyond, with a house in the far +distance--which, of course, must be Kinlossie--standing in a clump of +wood on the margin of an inlet of the sea, known by the name of Loch +Lossie. + +But a far more astonishing sight than anything he had beheld that +morning was yet in store for Barret. On turning round a projecting rock +at the foot of the Eagle Cliff, he suddenly came upon a young girl, +lying on the road as if dead! + +Springing towards her, he knelt and raised her head. There was no blood +upon the face, which was deadly pale, and no apparent injury. She did +not seem to breathe, but on feeling her pulse he fancied that he felt a +flutter there. A feeling of desperate regret passed through him as he +thought of his utter destitution alike of medical or surgical knowledge. +But Barret was not by any means a helpless man. Running to one of the +many streams of water which trickled from the cliff, he filled the top +of his wideawake therewith, and, returning, laved the girl's face, and +poured a little into her mouth. + +His efforts were successful. She recovered consciousness, opened her +eyes, and asked, with a confused look, what was the matter. + +"You must have had a fall, dear child; but you'll be better presently. +Let me raise you." + +The girl tried to rise, but, with a sharp cry of pain, fell back again +unconscious. + +Barret soon ascertained that one of the poor girl's arms was severely +bruised, perhaps broken. He knew not what to do, but he knew that the +greatest present evil was delay. He therefore wrapped her in the +shepherd's plaid which she wore, and raised her as gently as possible in +his arms--making use of the plaid as a sort of sling, with part of it +round his own neck. Then, thanking God for the strong limbs and muscles +with which he had been endowed, he set off with vigorous tread for +Kinlossie House. + + + +CHAPTER FOUR. + +THE FAMILY AT KINLOSSIE. + +Serenity was the prevailing feature in the character of old Allan +Gordon, the laird of Kinlossie; but when that amiable, portly, grand, +silver-headed old gentleman suddenly met an unknown young man of fine +proportions carrying his favourite niece, wrapped up as a bundle in his +arms, all his serenity disappeared, and he stared, glared, almost +gasped, with mingled astonishment and consternation. + +A very brief explanation, however, quickly sufficed to charge his +susceptible spirit to overflowing with a compound of grave anxiety and +heartfelt gratitude. + +"Come in, my dear sir, come in; luckily our doctor is spending the day +with me. But for you, my poor dear Milly might have been--This way, to +her own room. Are you sure the arm is broken?" + +"I fear so," replied Barret, entering the mansion; but before he could +proceed farther his words were drowned in a shriek of surprise from four +little Gordons, aged from sixteen to four, who yelled rather than +demanded to know what ailed their cousin--ranging from Archie's, "What's +wrong with Cousin Milly," to Flora's, "Wass wong wid Cuzn Miwy?" + +By that time Mrs Gordon, a pleasant-voiced lady, with benignity in her, +looks, appeared on the scene, followed quickly by a man and several maid +servants, all of whom added to the confusion, in the midst of which +Cousin Milly was conveyed to her room and deposited on her bed. The +family doctor, a rotund little man of fifty-five, was speedily in +attendance. + +"So fortunate that the doctor happens to be here," said the laird, as he +led Barret to the library and offered him a glass of wine. "No! you +don't drink? Well, well, as you please. Here, Duncan, fetch milk, +lemonade, coffee, hot, at once. You must be tired after carrying her so +far, even though she _is_ a light weight. But, forgive me; in my +anxiety about my poor niece I have quite forgotten to ask either your +name or how you came here, for no steamer has been to the island for a +week past. Pray be seated, and, wherever you may be bound for +ultimately, make up your mind that my house is to be your home for a +week at least. We suffer no visitor ever to leave us under that +period." + +"You are very kind," returned the young man, smiling, "and I accept your +proffered hospitality most gladly. My name is John Barret. I came to +the other side of the island in a yacht, and swam on shore in my clothes +with six companions, spent the night at Cove, and have walked over here +to make known these facts to you." + +"You speak in riddles, my young friend," returned the laird, with an +amused look. + +"Yet I speak the truth," returned Barret, who thereupon gave a +circumstantial account of the disaster that had befallen himself and his +friends. + +"Excuse me," said Mr Gordon, rising; throwing up the window he shouted +to a man who was passing at the moment, "Roderick, get the big +waggonette ready to go to Cove, and bring it round here as fast as you +can. You see," he added to Barret, "the road is considerably longer +than the short cut by which you came, and we must have them all over +here without delay. Don't distress yourself about room. We have plenty +of accommodation. But come, I'll take you to your own room, and when +you have made yourself comfortable, we will talk over your future plans. +Just let me say, however, to prevent your mind running away on wrong +ideas, that in the circumstances we won't allow you to leave us for two +months. The post goes out to-morrow, so you can write to your father +and tell him so." + +Thus running on in a rich hearty voice, the hospitable Allan Gordon +conducted Barret to a room in the southern wing of the rambling old +edifice, and left him there to meditate on his good fortune, and enjoy +the magnificent prospect of the island-studded firth, or fiord, from +which the mansion derived its name. + +While the waggonette was away for the rest of the wrecked party, the +laird, finding that Milly's arm was not actually broken, though severely +bruised, sat down to lunch with restored equanimity, and afterwards +drove Barret in his dog-cart to various parts of his estate. + +"Your friends cannot arrive for several hours, you see," he said on +starting, "and we don't dine till seven; so you could not be better +engaged than in making acquaintance with the localities of our beautiful +island. It may seem a little wild to you in its scenery, but there are +thousands of picturesque points, and what painters call `bits' about it, +as my sweet little Milly Moss will tell you when she recovers; for she +is an enthusiastic painter, and has made innumerable drawings, both in +water-colour and oils, since she came to stay here. I cannot tell you +how grateful I am to you, Mr Barret, for rescuing the poor girl from +her perilous position." + +"I count myself fortunate indeed in having been led to the spot so +opportunely," said Barret; "and I sincerely hope that no evil effects +may result from her injuries. May I ask if she resides permanently with +you at Kinlossie?" + +"I wish she did," said the laird, fervently; "for she is like a sunbeam +in the house. No, we have only got the loan of her, on very strict +conditions too, from her mother, who is a somewhat timid lady of an +anxious temperament. I've done my best to fulfil the conditions, but +they are not easy." + +"Indeed! How is that?" + +"Well, you see, my sister is firmly convinced that there is deadly +danger in wet feet, and one of her conditions is that Milly is not to be +allowed to wet her feet. Now you know it is not easy for a Londoner to +understand the difficulty of keeping one's feet dry while skipping over +the mountains and peat-hags of the Western Isles." + +"From which I conclude that Mrs Moss is a Londoner," returned Barret, +with a laugh. + +"She is. Although a Gordon, and born in the Argyll Highlands, she was +sent to school in London, where she was married at the age of seventeen, +and has lived there ever since. Her husband is dead, and nothing that I +have been able to say has yet tempted her to pay me a visit. She +regards my home here as a wild, uninhabitable region, though she has +never seen it, and besides, is getting too old and feeble to venture, as +she says, on a long voyage. Certes, she is not yet feeble in mind, +whatever she may be in body; but she's a good, amiable, affectionate +woman, and I have no fault to find with her, except in regard to her +severe conditions about Milly, and her anxiety to get her home again. +After all, it is not to be wondered at, for Milly is her only child; and +I am quite sure if I had not gone to London, and made all sorts of +promises to be extremely careful of Milly and personally take her home +again, she never would have let her come at all. See, there is one of +Milly's favourite views," said the laird, pulling up, and pointing with +his whip to the scene in front, where a range of purple hills formed a +fine background to the loch, with its foreground of tangle-covered +stones; "she revels in depicting that sort of thing." + +Barret, after expressing his thorough approval of the young girl's taste +in the matter of scenery, asked if Milly's delicate health was the cause +of her mother's anxiety. + +"Delicate health!" exclaimed the laird. "Why, man, sylph-like though +she appears, she has got the health of an Amazon. No, no, there's +nothing wrong with my niece, save in the imagination of my sister. We +will stop at this cottage for a few minutes. I want to see one of my +men, who is not very well." + +He pulled up at the door of a little stone hut by the roadside, which +possessed only one small window and one chimney, the top of which +consisted of an old cask, with the two ends knocked out. A bare-legged +boy ran out of the hut to hold the horse. + +"Is your brother better to-day?" asked the laird. + +"No, sir; he's jist the same." + +"Mind your head," said the laird, as he stooped to pass the low doorway, +and led his friend into the hut. + +The interior consisted of one extremely dirty room, in which the +confined air was further vitiated by tobacco smoke, and the fumes of +whisky. One entire side of it was occupied by two box-beds, in one of +which lay a brawny, broad-shouldered man, with fiery red hair and +scarcely less fiery red eyes, which seemed to glare out of the dark den +in which he lay. + +"Well, Ivor, are ye not better to-day, man?" + +There was a sternness in Mr Gordon's query, which not only surprised +but grieved his young companion; and the surprise was increased when the +sick man replied in a surly tone-- + +"Na, laird, I'm not better; an' what's more, I'll not be better till my +heed's under the sod." + +"I'm afraid you are right, Ivor," returned the laird, in a somewhat +softer tone; "for when a man won't help himself, no one else can help +him." + +"Help myself!" exclaimed the man, starting up on one elbow, and gazing +fiercely from under his shaggy brows. "Help myself!" he repeated. And +then, as if resolving suddenly to say no more, he sank down and laid his +head on the pillow, with a short groan. + +"Here, Ivor, is a bottle o' physic that my wife sends to ye," said Mr +Gordon, pulling a pint bottle from his pocket, and handing it to the +man, who clutched it eagerly, and was raising it to his mouth when his +visitor arrested his hand. + +"Hoot, man," he said, with a short laugh, "it's not whisky! She bid me +say ye were to take only half a glass at a time, every two hours." + +"Poor't oot, then, laird--poor't oot," said the man, impatiently. +"Ye'll fin' a glass i' the wundy." + +Fetching a wine-glass from the window Mr Gordon half filled it with a +liquid of a dark brown colour, which the sick man quaffed with almost +fierce satisfaction, and then lay down with a sigh. + +"It seems to have done ye good already, man," said the laird, putting +the bottle and glass on that convenient shelf--the window-sill. "I've +no idea what the physic is, but my good wife seems to know, and that's +enough for me; and for you, too, I think." + +"Ay, she's a good wumin. Thank her for me," responded Ivor. + +Remounting the dog-cart the old gentleman explained, as they drove +along, that Ivor Donaldson's illness was the result of intemperance. + +"He is my gamekeeper," said the laird; "and there is not a better or +more trustworthy man in the island, when he is sober; but when he takes +one of his drinking fits, he seems to lose all control over himself, and +goes from bad to worse, till a fit of _delirium tremens_ almost kills +him. He usually goes for a good while after that without touching a +drop, and at such times he is a most respectful, painstaking man, +willing to take any amount of trouble to serve one, but when he breaks +down he is as bad as ever--nay, even worse. My wife and I have done +what we could for him, and have tried to get him to take the temperance +pledge, but hitherto without avail. My wife has even gone the length of +becoming a total abstainer, in order to have more influence over him; +but I don't quite see my way to do that myself." + +"Then _you_ have not yet done all that you could for the man, though +your wife has," thought Barret; but he did not venture to say so. + +At this point in the conversation they reached a place where the road +left the shores of the loch and ascended into the hills. Being rather +steep at its lower end, they alighted and walked; the laird pointing +out, as they ascended, features in the landscape which he thought would +interest his young guest. + +"Yonder," he said, pointing to a wood on the opposite side of the +valley, "yonder is a good piece of cover for deer. The last time we had +a drive there we got three, one o' them a stag with very fine antlers. +It was there that a young friend of mine, who was not much accustomed to +sporting, shot a red cow in mistake for a deer! The same friend knocked +over five or six of my tame ducks, under the impression that they were +wild ones, because he found them among the heather! Are you fond of +sport?" + +"Not particularly," answered Barret; "that is, I am not personally much +of a sportsman, though I have great enjoyment in going out with my +sporting friends and watching their proceedings. My own tastes are +rather scientific. I am a student of natural history--a botanist and +geologist--though I lay no claim to extensive knowledge of science." + +"Ah! my young friend, then you will find a powerful sympathiser in my +niece Milly--that is, when the poor child gets well--for she is half mad +on botany. Although only two weeks have passed since she came to us, +she has almost filled her room with specimens of what she calls rare +plants. I sometimes tease her by saying it is fortunate that bracken +does not come under that head, else she'd pull it all up and leave no +cover for the poor rabbits. She has also half-filled several huge books +with gummed-in specimens innumerable, though I can't see that she does +more than write their names below them." + +"And that is no small advance in the science, let me tell you," returned +Barret, who was stirred up to defend his co-scientist. "No one can +succeed in anything who does not take the first steps, and undergo the +drudgery manfully." + +"Womanfully, in this case, my friend; but do not imagine that I +underrate my little niece. My remark was to the effect that I do not +see that she _does_ more, though I have no manner of doubt that her +pretty little head _thinks_ a great deal more. Now we will get up here, +as the road is more level for a bit. D'you see the group of alders down +in the hollow yonder, where the little stream that runs through the +valley takes a sudden bend? There's a deep pool there, where a good +many sea-trout congregate. You shall try it soon--that is, if you care +for fishing." + +"Oh, yes, I like fishing," said Barret. "It is a quiet, contemplative +kind of sport." + +"Contemplative!" exclaimed the old gentleman with a laugh; "well, yes, +it is, a little. Sometimes you get down into the bed of the stream with +considerable difficulty, and you have to contemplate the banks a long +time, occasionally, before deciding as to which precipice is least +likely to give you a broken neck. Yes, it is a contemplative sport. As +to quiet, that depends very much on what your idea of quietude may be. +Our burn descends for two or three miles in succession of leaps and +bounds. If the roaring of cataracts is quieting to you, there is no end +of it down there. See, the pool that I speak of is partly visible now, +with the waterfall above it. You see it?" + +"Yes, I see it." + +"We call it Mac's pool," continued the laird, driving on, "because it is +a favourite pool of an old school companion of mine, named MacRummle, +who is staying with us just now. He tumbles into it about once a week." + +"Is that considered a necessary part of the process of fishing?" asked +Barret. + +"No, it may rather be regarded as an eccentric addition peculiar to +MacRummle. The fact is, that my good friend is rather too old to fish +now; but his spirit is still so juvenile, and his sporting instincts are +so keen, that he is continually running into dangerous positions and +getting into scrapes. Fortunately he is very punctual in returning to +meals; so if he fails to appear at the right time, I send off one of my +men to look for him. I have offered him a boy as an attendant, but he +prefers to be alone." + +"There seems to be some one down at the pool now," remarked Barret, +looking back. + +"No doubt it is MacRummle himself," said the laird, pulling up. "Ay, +and he seems to be making signals to us." + +"Shall I run down and see what he wants?" asked Barret. + +"Do; you are active, and your legs are strong. It will do you good to +scramble a little." + +Leaping the ditch that skirted the road, the youth soon crossed the belt +of furze and heather that lay between him and the river, about which he +and his host had been conversing. Being unaccustomed to the nature of +the Western Isles, he was a little surprised to find the country he had +to cross extremely rugged and broken, and it taxed all the activity for +which the laird had given him credit, as well as his strength of limb, +to leap some of the peat-hags and water-courses that came in his way. +He was too proud of his youthful vigour to pick his steps round them! +Only once did he make a slip in his kangaroo-like bounds, but that slip +landed him knee-deep in a bog of brown mud, out of which he dragged his +legs with difficulty. + +Gaining the bank of the river at last, he soon came up to the fisher, +who was of sturdy build, though somewhat frail from age, and dressed in +brown tweed garments, with a dirty white wideawake, the crown of which +was richly decorated with casting-lines and hooks, ranging from small +brown hackle to salmon-fly. But the striking thing about him was that +his whole person was soaking wet. Water dripped from the pockets of his +shooting coat, dribbled from the battered brim of his wideawake, and, +flowing from his straightened locks, trickled off the end of his Roman +nose. + +"You have been in the water, I fear," said Barret, in a tone of pity. + +"And you have been in the mud, young man," said the fisher, in a tone of +good-humoured sarcasm. + +The youth burst into a laugh at this, and the old fisherman's mouth +expanded into a broad grin, which betrayed the fact that age had failed +to damage his teeth, though it had played some havoc with his legs. + +"These are what I style Highland boots," said the old man, pointing to +the muddy legs. + +"Indeed!" returned Barret. "Well, you see I have put them on at once, +for I have only arrived a few hours since. My name is Barret. I +believe I have the pleasure of addressing Mr MacRummle?" + +"You have that pleasure, Mr Barret; and now, if you will do me the +kindness to carry my rod and basket, I will lead you back to the +dog-cart by a path which will not necessitate an additional pair of +native boots! I would not have hailed you, but having tumbled into the +river, as you see, I thought it would be more prudent to get driven home +as quickly as possible." + +"You have a good basket of fish, I see, or rather, feel," remarked +Barret, as he followed the old man, who walked rather slowly, for his +physical strength was not equal to his spirits. + +"Ay, it is not so bad; but I lost the best one. Fishers always do, you +know! He was a grilse, a six-pounder at the least, if he was an ounce, +for I had him within an inch of my gaff when I overbalanced myself, and +shot into the stream head foremost with such force, that I verily +believe I drove him to the very bottom of the pool. Strange to say the +rod was not broken; but when I scrambled ashore, I found that the grilse +was gone!" + +"How unfortunate! You were not hurt, I hope?" + +"Not in the least. There was plenty of depth for a dive; besides, I'm +used to it." + +It became quite evident to John Barret that his new friend was "used to" +a good many more things besides tumbling into the river, for as they +went slowly along the winding footpath that led them through the +peat-hags, MacRummle tripped over a variety of stumps, roots, and other +excrescences which presented themselves in the track, and which on +several occasions brought him to the ground. The old gentleman, +however, had a fine facility in falling. Being slow in all his +movements, he usually subsided rather than fell; a result, perhaps, of +laziness as well as of unwillingness to struggle against fate. His +frequent staggerings, also, on the verge of dark peat holes, caused his +companion many a shock of alarm and many a start forward to prevent a +catastrophe, before they gained the high road. They reached it at last, +however, rather breathless, but safe. + +MacRummle's speech, like his movements, was slow. His personal courage, +considering the dangers he constantly and voluntarily encountered, was +great. + +"You've been in again, Mac, I see," exclaimed the laird heartily, +extending his hand to his old friend with the view of hauling him up on +the seat beside him. "Mind the step. Now then!" + +"Yes, I've been in, but the weather is warm! Stop, stop! Don't pull +quite so hard, Allan; mind my rheumatic shoulder. Give a shove behind, +Mr Barret--gently--there. Thankee." + +The old man sat down with something of a crash beside his friend. +Barret handed him his rod, put the basket under his feet, and sprang up +on the seat behind. + +Returning at a swift pace by the road they had come, they soon reached +Kinlossie, where the laird drove into the back yard, so as to deliver +the still dripping MacRummle at the back door, and thus prevent his +leaving a moist track from the front hall to his bedroom. Having got +rid of him, and given the dog-cart in charge to the groom, Mr Gordon +led his young friend round to the front of the house. + +"I see your friends have already arrived," said the laird, pointing to +the waggonette which stood in the yard. "No doubt we shall find them +about somewhere." + +They turned the corner of the mansion as he spoke, and certainly did +come on Barret's friends, in circumstances, however, which seemed quite +unaccountable at first sight, for there, in front of the open door, were +not only Bob Mabberly, Giles Jackman, Skipper McPherson, James McGregor, +Pat Quin, and Robin Tips, but also Mrs Gordon, the two boy Gordons-- +named respectively, Eddie and Junkie--Duncan, the butler, and little +Flora, with a black wooden doll in her arms, all standing in more or +less awkward attitudes, motionless and staring straight before them as +if petrified with surprise or some kindred feeling. + +Barret looked at his host with a slight elevation of his eyebrows. + +"Hush!" said the laird, softly, holding up a finger of caution. "My boy +Archie is behind that laurel bush. He's photographing them!" + +"That'll do," in a loud voice from Archie, disenchanted the party; and +while the operator rushed off to his "dark closet," the laird hurried +forward to be introduced to the new arrivals, and give them hospitable +greeting. + +That evening the host and his wife entertained their guests to a genuine +Highland feast in the trophied hall, and at a somewhat later hour +Duncan, the butler, and Elsie, the cook, assisted by Roderick, the +groom, and Mary, the housemaid, held their share of high revelry in the +kitchen, with Quin, Tips, and "Shames" McGregor. + +"You have come to the right place for sport, gentlemen," said the laird, +as he carved with vigour at a splendid haunch of venison. "In their +seasons we have deer and grouse on the hills; rabbits, hares, +partridges, and pheasants on the low grounds. What'll you have, Mr +Mabberly? My dear, what have you got there?" + +"Pigeon pie," answered Mrs Gordon. + +"Mac, that will suit your taste, I know," cried the host with a laugh. + +"Yes, it will," slowly returned MacRummle, whose ruddy face and smooth +bald head seemed to glow with satisfaction now that he had got into dry +garments. "Yes, I'm almost as fond of pie as my old friend Robinson +used to be. He was so fond of it that, strange though it may seem to +you, gentlemen, he had a curious predilection for pie-bald horses." + +"Come, now, Mac, don't begin upon your friend Robinson till after +dinner." + +"Has Archie's photography turned out well?" asked Mabberly at this +point. "I do a little in that way myself, and am interested as to the +result of his efforts to-day." + +"We cannot know that before to-morrow, I fear," replied Mrs Gordon. + +"Did I hear you ask about Archie's work, Mabberly?" said the laird, +interrupting. "Oh! it'll turn out well, I have no doubt. He does +everything well. In fact, all the boys are smartish fellows; a little +self-willed and noisy, perhaps, like all boys, but--" + +A tremendous crash in the room above, which was the nursery, caused the +laird to drop his knife and fork and quickly leave the room, with a look +of anxiety, for he was a tender-hearted, excitable man; while his quiet +and delicate-looking wife sat still, with a look of serenity not +unmingled with humour. + +"Something overturned, I suppose," she remarked. + +In a few minutes her husband returned with a bland smile. + +"Yes," he said, resuming his knife and fork; "it was Junkie, as usual, +fighting with Flo for the black doll. No mischief would have followed, +I daresay, but Archie and Eddie joined in the scrimmage, and between +them they managed to upset the table. I found them wallowing in a sea +of porridge and milk--that was all!" + + + +CHAPTER FIVE. + +PLANS, PROSPECTS, AND A GREAT FIGHT. + +There is something very enjoyable in awaking in a strange bedroom with a +feeling of physical strength and abounding health about one, with a +glorious, early sunbeam irradiating the room--especially if it does not +shine upon one's face--with a window opposite, through which you can see +a mountain rising through the morning mists, until its summit appears to +claim kindred with the skies, and with the consciousness that work is +over for a time, and recreation is the order of the day. + +Some such thoughts and feelings caused John Barret to smile as he lay +flat on his back, the morning after his arrival, with his hands under +his head, surveying the low-roofed but cosy apartment which had been +allotted to him in the mansion of Kinlossie. But the smile gave place +to a grave, earnest expression as his eyes fell upon a framed card, on +which was printed, in scarlet and blue and gold, "The earth is the Lords +and the fulness thereof." + +"So it is," thought the youth; "and my power to enjoy it comes from the +Lord--my health, my strength, myself. Yet how seldom do I thank Him for +the mere fact of a happy existence. God forgive me!" + +Although Barret thus condemned himself, we would not have it supposed +that he had been a careless unbeliever. His temperament was grave (not +by any means gloomy) by nature, and a Christian mother's love and +teaching had, before her early death, deepened his religious +impressions. + +He was beginning to wonder whether it was Mrs Gordon who had hung the +text there, and whether it had been executed by Milly Moss, when the +"get up" gong sent forth a sonorous peal, causing him to bound out of +bed. The act brought before his eyes another bed--a small one--in a +corner of the room reminding him of what he had forgotten, that, the +house being full to overflow by the recent accession of visitors, little +Joseph, better known as Junkie, shared the room with him. + +Junkie was at the moment sleeping soundly, after the manner of the +hedgehog--that is, curled up in the form of a ball. It was plain that +neither dressing gongs nor breakfast-bells had any effect upon him, for +he lay still in motionless slumber. + +"Hallo! Junkie, did you hear the gong?" said Barret, pushing the boy +gently. + +But Junkie answered not, and he had to push him three or four times +gently, and twice roughly, before he could awaken the youngster. +Uncoiling himself and turning on the other side, Junkie heaved a deep +sigh, and murmured,--"Leave m' 'lone." + +"Junkie! Junkie! you'll be late for breakfast," shouted Barret in his +ear. + +"Don'--wan'--any--br'kf'st," murmured the boy. "Leave m' 'lone, I say-- +or'll wallop you!" + +A laugh from Barret, and a still severer shake, roused the boy so far as +to make him sit up and stare about him with almost supernatural +solemnity. Then he yawned, rubbed his eyes, and smiled faintly. + +"Oh! it's _you_, is it?" he said. "I thought it was Eddie, and--" + +Another yawn checked his utterance. Then he suddenly jumped up, and +began to haul on his clothes with surprising rapidity. It was evident +that Junkie had a will of his own, and was accustomed to exert it on all +occasions. He continued to dress, wash himself, brush his hair and his +teeth, without speaking, and with such vigour that he soon distanced his +companion in the race. True, he did not do everything thoroughly. He +did not render his little hands immaculately clean. He did not remember +that the secret places behind his ears required to be particularly +attended to, and, in brushing operations, he totally forgot that he was +possessed of back-hair. Indeed, it is just possible that he disbelieved +that fact, for he neglected it entirely, insomuch that when he had +completed the operation to his own entire satisfaction, several stiff +and independent locks pointed straight to the sky, and two or three to +the horizon. + +"That's a pretty text on the wall, Junkie," observed Barret, while the +youngster was busy with the comb. + +"Yes, it's pretty." + +Barret wished to draw the boy out, but, like a tough piece of +india-rubber, he refused to be drawn out. + +"It is beautifully painted. Who did it?" asked the youth, making +another attempt. + +He had accidentally touched the right chord this time. It vibrated at +once. Junkie looked up with sparkling eyes, and said that Milly did it. + +"She does everything beautifully," he added, as he brushed away at his +forelock--a remarkably obstinate forelock, considering that it was the +most highly favoured lock of his head. + +"You like Milly, I see," said his friend. + +"Of _course_ I do. Everybody does." + +"Indeed! Why does everybody like her so much?" + +"'Cause she's so nice," said Junkie, dropping his brush on the floor-- +not accidentally, but as the easiest way of getting rid of it. "And she +sometimes says that I'm good." + +"I'm glad to hear that, my boy, for if Milly says so it must be true." + +"No, it's _not_ true," returned the boy promptly, as he fastened his +necktie in a complex knot, and thrust his arm through the wrong hole of +his little vest. "Milly is mistaken, that's all. But I like her to say +it, all the same. It feels jolly. But I'm bad--_awful_ bad! Everybody +says so. Father says so, an' he must be right, you know, for he says he +knows everything. Besides, I _feel_ it, an' I know it, an' I don't +care!" + +Having given vent to this reckless statement, and wriggled into his +jacket--the collar of which he left half down and half up--Junkie +suddenly plumped down on his knees, laid his head on his bed, and +remained perfectly still for the space of about one quarter of a minute. +Then, jumping up with the pleased expression of one who felt that he +had done his duty, he was about to rush from the room, when Barret +stopped him. + +"I'm glad to see that you say your prayers, at all events," he said. + +"But I wouldn't say them if it wasn't for Milly," returned the urchin. +"I do it to please her. An' I wash an' brush myself, an' all that, just +'cause she likes me to do it. I'd neither wash, nor pray, nor brush, +nor anything, if it wasn't to please Milly--and mother," he added, after +a moment's reflection. "I like _them_, an' I don't care a button for +anybody else." + +"What! for nobody else at all?" + +"Well, yes, I forgot--I like Ivor, too." + +"Is that the sick gamekeeper, Junkie?" + +"Sick! no; he's the drunken keeper. Drunken Ivor, we call him--not to +his face, you know. Wouldn't we catch it if we did that! But I'm fond +of drunken Ivor, an' he's fond of me. He takes me out sometimes when he +goes to shoot rabbits and fish. Sometimes he's awful fierce, but he's +never fierce to his old mother that lives in the hut close behind +his--'cept when he's drunk. D'ee know"--the boy lowered his voice at +this point and looked solemn--"he very nearly killed his mother once, +when he was drunk, you know, an' when he came sober he cried--oh, just +as our Flo cries when she's bin whipped." + +At this point the breakfast-bell pealed forth with, so to speak, a +species of clamorous enthusiasm by no means unusual in Scottish country +mansions, as if it knew that there was spread out a breakfast worth +ringing for. At the first sound of it, Junkie burst from the room, left +the door wide open, clattered along the passage, singing, yelling +vociferously as he went--and trundled downstairs like a retiring +thunderstorm. + +The arrangements for the day at Kinlossie were usually fixed at the +breakfast hour, if they had not been settled the night before. There +was, therefore, a good deal to consult about during the progress of the +meal. + +"You see, gentlemen," said the host, when the demands of nature were +partially satisfied, "friends who come to stay with me are expected to +select their occupations or amusements for the day as fancy or taste may +lead them. My house is `liberty hall.' Sometimes we go together on the +hills after grouse, at other times after red-deer. When the rivers are +in order, we take our rods and break up into parties. When weather and +wind are suitable, some go boating and sea-fishing. Others go sketching +or botanising. If the weather should become wet, you will find a +library next to this room, a billiard-table in the west wing, and a +smoking-room--which is also a rod and gun-room--in the back premises. +We cannot take the men from their work to-day, so that a deer-drive is +not possible, but that can be done any day. So, gentlemen, think over +it, and make your choice." + +"How is Milly this morning?" asked MacRummle, who came down late to +breakfast, as he always did, and consequently missed morning prayers. + +"Better, much better than we could have expected. Of course the arm is +inflamed and very painful, but not broken, which is almost a miracle, +considering the height from which she fell. But for you, Mr Barret, +she might have lain there for hours before we found her, and the +consequences might have been very serious. As it is, the doctor says +she will probably be able to leave her room in a few days." + +"Come, now, Mac," continued the host, "we have been talking over plans +for the day. What do you intend to do?" + +"Try the river," said the old gentleman, with quiet decision, as he +slowly helped himself to the ham and egg that chanced to be in front of +him. "There's a three-pounder, if not a four, which rose in the middle +pool yesterday, and I feel sure of him to-day." + +"Why, Mr MacRummle," said Mrs Gordon smilingly, "you have seen that +three-pounder or four-pounder every day for a month past." + +"I have, Mrs Gordon; and I hope to see him every day for a month to +come, if I don't catch him to-day!" + +"Whatever you do, Mac, don't dive for him," said the laird; "else we +will some day have to fish yourself out of the middle pool. Have +another cut of salmon, Mr Mabberly. In what direction do your tastes +point?" + +"I feel inclined to make a lazy day of it and go out with your son +Archie," said Mabberly, "to look at the best views for photographing. I +had intended to photograph a good deal among the Western Isles, this +summer; but my apparatus now lies, with the yacht, at the bottom of the +sea." + +"Yes, in company with my sixteen-shooter rifle," said Giles Jackman, +with a rueful countenance. + +"Well, gentlemen, I cannot indeed offer you much comfort as regards your +losses, for the sea keeps a powerful hold of its possessions; but you +will find my boy's camera a fairly good one, and there are plenty of dry +plates. It so happens, also, that I have a new repeating rifle in the +house, which has not yet been used; so, in the meantime, at all events, +neither of you will suffer much from your misfortunes." + +It was finally arranged, before breakfast was over, that MacRummle was +to go off alone to his usual and favourite burn; that Jackman and Quin, +under the guidance of Junkie, should try the river for salmon and +sea-trout; that Barret, with ex-Skipper McPherson, Shames McGregor, +Robin Tips, Eddie Gordon, the laird's second son--a boy of twelve--and +Ivor, the keeper--whose recoveries were as rapid as his relapses were +sudden--should all go off in the boat to try the sea-fishing; and that +Bob Mabberly, with Archie, should go photographing up one of the most +picturesque of the glens, conducted by the laird himself. + +As it stands to reason that we cannot accompany all of these parties, we +elect to follow Giles Jackman, Quin, and Junkie up the river. + +This expedition involved a preliminary walk of four miles, which they +all preferred to being driven to the scene of action in a dog-cart. + +Junkie was a little fellow for his age, but remarkably intelligent, +active, bright and strong. From remarks made by various members of the +Gordon family and their domestics, both Jackman and his servant had been +led to the conclusion that the boy was the very impersonation of +mischief, and were more or less on the look out for displays of his +propensity; but Junkie walked demurely by their side, asking and +replying to questions with the sobriety of an elderly man, and without +the slightest indication of the latent internal fires, with which he was +credited. + +The truth is, that Junkie possessed a nature that was tightly strung and +vibrated like an Aeolian harp to the lightest breath of influence. He +resembled, somewhat, a pot of milk on a very hot fire, rather apt to +boil over with a rush; nevertheless, he possessed the power to restrain +himself in a simmering condition for a considerable length of time. The +fact that he was fairly out for the day with two strangers, to whom he +was to show the pools where salmon and sea-trout lay, was a prospect so +charming that he was quite content to simmer. + +"D'ee know how to fish for salmon?" he asked, looking gravely up in +Jackman's face, after they had proceeded a considerable distance. + +"Oh, yes, Junkie; I know how to do it. I used to fish for salmon before +I went to India." + +"Isn't that the place where they shoot lions and tigers and--and +g'rillas?" + +"Well, not exactly lions and gorillas, my boy; but there are plenty of +baboons and monkeys there, and lots of tigers." + +"Have you shot them?" asked Junkie, with a look of keen interest. + +"Yes; many of them." + +"Did you ever turn a tiger outside in?" + +Jackman replied, with a laugh, that he had never performed that curious +operation on anything but socks--that, indeed, he had never heard of +such a thing being done. + +"I knew it was a cracker," said Junkie. + +"What d'you mean by a cracker, my boy?" inquired Jackman. + +"A lie," said Junkie, promptly. + +"And who told the cracker?" + +"Ivor. He tells me a great, great many stories." + +"D'you mean Ivor Donaldson, the keeper?" + +"Yes; he tells me plenty of stories, but some of them are crackers. He +said that once upon a time a man was walkin' through the jungle--that's +what they call the bushes, you know, in India--an' he met a great big +tiger, which glared at him with its great eyes, and gave a tremendous +roar, and sprang upon him. The man was brave and strong. He held out +his right arm straight, so that when the tiger came upon him his arm +went into its open mouth and right down its throat, and his hand caught +hold of something. It was the inside end of the tiger's tail! The man +gave an _awful_ pull, and the tiger came inside out at once with a +_tremendous_ crack!" + +"Sure, and that _was_ a cracker!" remarked Quin, who had been listening +to the boy's prattle with an amused expression, as they trudged along. + +"Nevertheless, it may not be fair to call it a lie, Junkie," said +Jackman. "Did Ivor say it was true?" + +"No. When I asked if it was, he only laughed, and said he had once read +of the same thing being done to a walrus, but he didn't believe it." + +"Just so, Junkie. He meant you to understand the story of the tiger as +he did the story of the walrus--as a sort of fairy tale, you know." + +"How could he mean that," demanded Junkie, "when he said it was a +_tiger's_ tail--not a _fairy's_ at all?" + +Jackman glanced at Quin, and suppressed a laugh. Quin returned the +glance, and expressed a smile. + +"Better luck next time," murmured the servant. + +"Did you ever see walruses?" asked Junkie, whose active mind was prone +to jump from one subject to another. + +"No, never; but I have seen elephants, which are a great deal bigger +than walruses," returned Jackman; "and I have shot them, too. I will +tell you some stories about them one of these days--not `crackers', but +true ones." + +"That'll be nice! Now, we're close to the sea-pool; but the tide's too +far in to fish that just now, so we'll go up to the next one, if you +like." + +"By all means, my boy. You know the river, and we don't, so we put +ourselves entirely under your guidance and orders," replied Jackman. + +By this time they had reached the river at the upper end of the loch. +It ran in a winding course through a level plain which extended to the +base of the encircling hills. The pool next the sea being unfishable, +as we have said, owing to the state of the tide, Junkie conducted his +companions high up the stream by a footpath. And a proud urchin he was, +in his grey kilt and hose, with his glengarry cocked a little on one +side of his curly head, as he strode before them with all the +self-reliance of a Highland chieftain. + +In a few minutes they came to the first practicable pool--a wide, +rippling, oily, deep hole, caused by a bend in the stream, the +appearance of which--suggestive of silvery scales--was well calculated +to arouse sanguine hopes in a salmon fisher. + +Here Quin proceeded to put together the pieces of his master's rod, +while Jackman, opening a portly fishing-book, selected a casting line +and fly. + +"Have you been in India, too?" asked Junkie of Quin, as he watched their +proceedings with keen interest. + +"Sure, an' I have--leastways if it wasn't dhreamin' I've bin there." + +"An' have _you_ killed lions, and tigers, and elephants?" + +"Well, not exactly, me boy, but it's meself as used to stand by an' +howld the spare guns whin the masther was killin' them." + +"Wasn't you frightened?" + +"Niver a taste. Och! thriflin' craters like them niver cost me a +night's rest, which is more than I can say of the rats in Kinlossie, +anyhow." + +A little shriek of laughter burst from Junkie on hearing this. + +"What are ye laughin' at, honey?" asked Quin. + +"At you not bein' able to sleep for the rats!" returned the boy. "It's +the way with everybody who comes to stay with us, at first, but they get +used to it at last." + +"Are the rats then so numerous?" asked Jackman. + +"Swarmin', all over! Haven't you heard them yet?" + +"Well, yes, I heard them scampering soon after I went to bed, but I +thought it was kittens at play in the room overhead, and soon went to +sleep. But they don't come into the rooms, do they?" + +"Oh, no--I only wish they would! Wouldn't we have a jolly hunt if they +did? But they scuttle about the walls inside, and between the ceilings +and the floors. And you can't frighten them. The only thing that +scared them once was the bag-pipes. An old piper came to the house one +day and played a great deal, and we heard nothing more of the rats for +two or three weeks after that." + +"Sensible bastes," remarked Quin, handing the rod to his master; "an' a +sign, too, that they've got some notion o' music." + +"Why, Quin, I thought you had bag-pipes in Ireland," said Jackman, as he +fastened a large fly to his line. + +"An' that's what we have, sor; but the Irish pipes are soft, mellow, +gentle things--like the Irish girls--not like them big Scotch bellows +that screech for all the world like a thousand unwillin' pigs bein' +forced to go to markit." + +"True, Quin; there's something in that. Now then, both of you stand +close to me--a little behind--so; it's the safest place if you don't +want to be hooked, and be ready with the gaff, Junkie," said the fisher, +as he turned a critical eye on the water, and made a fine cast over what +he deemed the most likely part of the pool. + +"Father never rose a fish there," said Junkie, with a demure look. + +The fisher paid no attention to the remark, but continued to cast a +little lower down stream each time. + +"You're gettin' near the bit now," said Junkie, in the tone of one whose +expectations are awakened. + +"Th-there! That's him!" + +"Ay, and a good one, too," exclaimed Jackman, as a fan-like tail +disappeared with a heavy splash. Again the fisher cast, with the same +result. + +"He's only playin' wi' the fly," said Junkie in a tone of +disappointment. + +"That's often the way--no!--th-there! Got 'im!" + +The rod bent like a hoop at that moment; the reel spun round to its own +merry music, as the line flew out, and the fish finished its first wild +rush with a leap of three feet into the air. + +"Hooray!" yelled Junkie, now fairly aflame, as he jumped like the fish, +flourished the big hook round his head, and gaffed Quin by the lappet of +his coat! + +"Have a care, you spalpeen," shouted the Irishman, grasping the excited +youngster by the collar and disengaging himself from the hook. "Sure it +might have been me nose as well as me coat, an' a purty objec' that +would have made me!" + +Junkie heeded not. When released he ran toward Jackman who was +struggling skilfully with the fish. + +"Don't let him take you down the rapid," he shouted. "There's no good +place for landin' him there. Hold on, an' bring 'im up if you can. +Hi!" + +This last exclamation was caused by another rush of the fish. Jackman +had wound up his line as far as possible, and was in hopes of inducing +the salmon to ascend the stream, for he had run perilously near to the +head of the rapid against which the boy had just warned him. But to +this the fish objected, and, finding that the fisher was obstinate, had, +as we have said, made a sudden rush across the pool, causing the reel to +spin furiously as the line ran out, and finishing off with another +splendid jump. + +"A few more bursts like that will soon exhaust him," said Jackman, as he +wound in the line again and drew the fish steadily towards him. + +"Yes, but _don't_ let him go down," said the boy earnestly. + +It seemed almost as if the creature had heard the warning, for it turned +at the moment and made a straight rush for the head of the rapid. + +When a large salmon does this it is absolutely impossible to stop him. +Only two courses are open to the fisher--either to hold on and let him +break the tackle; or follow him as fast as possible. The former +alternative, we need hardly say, is only adopted when following is +impracticable or involves serious danger. In the present case it was +neither impossible nor dangerous, but it was difficult; and the way in +which Giles Jackman went after that fish, staggering among pebbles, +leaping obstructions, crashing through bushes and bounding over +boulders, causing Quin to hold his sides with laughter, and little +Junkie to stand transfixed and staring with admiration, was +indescribable. + +For Junkie had only seen his old father in such circumstances, and +sometimes the heavy, rather clumsy, though powerful Ivor Donaldson. He +had not till that day seen--much less imagined--what were the capacities +of an Indian "Woods and Forester" of athletic build, superb training, +and fresh from his native jungles! + +"I say! _what_ a jumper he is!" exclaimed Junkie, recovering presence of +mind and dashing after him. + +The rapid was a short though rough one. The chief danger was that the +line might be cut among the foam-covered rocks, or that the hook, if not +firmly fixed, might tear itself away; also that the fisher might fall, +which would probably be fatal to rod or line, to say nothing of elbows +and shins. + +But Jackman came triumphantly out of it all. The salmon shot into the +pool below the rapid, and turned into the eddy to rest. The fisher, at +the same moment, bounded on to a strip of sand there--minus only hat and +wind--and proceeded to reel in the line for the next burst. + +But another burst did not occur, for the fish was by that time pretty +well exhausted, and took to what is styled sulking; that is, lying at +the bottom of a hole with its nose, probably, under a stone. While in +this position a fish may recover strength to renew the battle. It is +therefore advisable, if possible, to drive him or haul him out of his +refuge by all or any means. A small fish may be hauled out if the +tackle be strong, but this method is not possible with a heavy one such +as that which Jackman had hooked. + +"What's to be done now, Junkie?" he said, after one or two vain efforts +to move the fish. + +"Bomb stones at him," said the urchin, without a moment's hesitation. + +"Bomb away then, my boy!" + +Junkie at once sent several large stones whizzing into the pool. The +result was that the salmon made another dash for life, but gave in +almost immediately, and came to the surface on its side. The battle is +usually about ended when this takes place, though not invariably so, for +lively fish sometimes recover sufficiently to make a final effort. In +this case, however, it was the close of the fight. Slowly and carefully +the fisher drew the fish towards the shelving bank, where Junkie stood +ready with the gaff. Another moment, and the boy bounded into the +water, stuck the hook into the salmon's shoulder, and laid it like a bar +of glittering silver on the bank. + +"A twenty-pounder," said Junkie, with critical gravity. + +"Twinty an' three-quarters," said Quin, as he weighed it. + +"And a good job, too," returned the practical urchin; "for I heard +mother say we'd have no fish for dinner to-morrow if somebody didn't +catch something." + + + +CHAPTER SIX. + +DANGEROUS STUDIES, PECULIAR ART, AND SPLENDID FISHING. + +There was a glass conservatory in one corner of the garden at Kinlossie +House, to which the laird was wont to retire regularly for the enjoyment +of a pipe every morning after breakfast. In this retreat, which was +rich in hot-house plants, he was frequently joined by one or more of the +members of his family, and sometimes by the friends who chanced to be +staying with him. Thither John Barret got into the way of going--partly +for the sake of a chat with the old man, of whom he soon became very +fond, and partly for the sake of the plants, in which he was +scientifically interested, botany being, as Mabberly said, his peculiar +weakness. + +One morning--and a gloriously bright morning it was, such as induces one +to thank God for the gift of sunshine and the capacity of enjoying it-- +John Barret sauntered down to the garden, after breakfast, to have a +quiet chat with his host. He had decided to remain at home that morning +for the purpose of writing a letter or two, intending in the afternoon +to follow up some of his companions, who had gone off to the hills. + +Entering the conservatory, he found that the laird was not there; but, +in his usual rustic chair, there sat a beautiful girl, sound asleep, +with her fair cheek resting on her little hand, and her nut-brown hair +straggling luxuriantly over her shoulders. + +Barret was spell-bound. He could not move for a few seconds. Surprise +may have had something to do with the sudden paralysis of his powers. +It may have been curiosity, possibly admiration, certainly some sort of +sensation that he could neither describe nor account for. He knew at a +glance who the girl was, though he had not seen her since the day of her +accident. Even if he had been so obtuse as not to know, the arm in a +sling would have revealed that it was Milly Moss who slumbered there; +yet he found it hard to believe that the neat little woman, with the +lovely, benignant countenance before him was in very truth the +dishevelled, dusty, scratched, and blood-sprinkled being whom he had +carried for several miles over the heather a short time before. + +As we have said, Barret stood immovable, not knowing very well what to +do. Then it occurred to him that it was scarcely gallant or fair thus +to take advantage of a sleeping beauty. Staring at her was bad enough, +but to awake her would be still worse; so he turned slowly about, as a +cat turns when afraid of being pounced on by a glaring adversary. He +would retire on tiptoe as softly as possible, so as not to disturb her. +In carrying out this considerate intention, he swept a flower-pot off +its stand, which fell with a mighty crash upon the stone floor. + +The poor youth clasped his hands, and glanced back over his shoulder in +horror. The startled Milly was gazing at him with mingled surprise and +alarm, which changed, however, into a flush and a look of restrained +laughter as she began to understand the situation. + +"Never mind, Mr Barret," she said, rising, and coming forward with a +gracious manner. "It is only one of the commonest plants we have. +There are plenty more of them. You came, I suppose, in search of my +uncle? Excuse my left hand; the right, as you see, is not yet fit for +duty." + +"I did indeed come here in search of Mr Gordon," said Barret, +recovering himself; "but permit me to lead you back to the chair; your +strength has not quite returned yet, I see." + +He was right. Although Milly had recovered much more rapidly than the +doctor had expected, she could not stand much excitement, and the shock +given by the breaking flower-pot, coupled, perhaps, with the unexpected +meeting with the man who had rescued her, from what might well have +caused her death, somewhat overcame her. + +"Excuse me," she said, with a fluttering sigh, as she sank down into the +rustic chair, "I do feel rather faint. It does seem so strange! I--I +suppose it is because I have had no experience of anything but robust +health all my life till now. There--I feel better. Will you kindly +fetch me a glass of water? You will find a cistern with a tumbler +beside it outside." + +The youth hurried out, and, on returning with the glass, found that the +deadly pallor of the girl's face had passed away, and was replaced by a +tint that might have made the blush rose envious. + +"You must understand," said Milly, setting down the glass, while Barret +seated himself on a vacant flower-pot-stand beside her, "that this +conservatory is a favourite haunt of mine, to which, before my accident, +I have resorted every morning since I came here, in order to sit with +Uncle Allan. The doctor thought me so much better this morning that he +gave me leave to recommence my visits. This is why I came; but I had +totally forgotten that uncle had arranged to go out with the shooting +party to-day, so I sat down to enjoy my favourite plants, and paid them +the poor compliment of falling asleep, owing to weakness, I suppose. +But how does it happen, Mr Barret, that you have been left behind? +They gave me to understand that you are a keen sportsman." + +"They misled you, then, for I am but a poor sportsman, and by no means +enthusiastic. Indeed, whether I go out with rod or gun, I usually +convert the expedition into a search for plants." + +"Oh, then, you are fond of botany!" exclaimed the girl, with a flush of +pleasure and awakened interest. "I am so glad of that, because-- +because--" + +"Well, why do you hesitate, Miss Moss?" asked Barret, with a surprised +look and a smile. + +"Well, I don't quite like to lay bare my selfishness; but the truth is, +there are some rare plants in terribly inaccessible places, which can +only be reached by creatures in male attire. In fact, I was trying to +secure one of these on the Eagle Cliff when I fell, and was so nearly +killed at the time you rescued me." + +"Pray don't give the little service I rendered so dignified a name as +`rescue.' But it rejoices me to know that I can be of further service +to you--all the more that you are now so helpless; for if you found +climbing the precipices difficult before, you will find it impossible +now with your injured arm. By the way, I was very glad to find that I +had been mistaken in thinking that your arm was broken. Has it given +you much pain?" + +"Yes, a good deal; but I am very, very thankful it was no worse. And +now I must show you some of the plants I have been trying to bring up +since I came here," said Milly, with animation. "Of course, I cannot +walk about to show them to you, so I will point them out, and ask you to +fetch the pots--that is, if you have nothing better to do, and won't be +bored." + +Barret protested earnestly that he had nothing--_could_ have nothing-- +better to do, and that even if he had he wouldn't do it. As for being +bored, the idea of such a state of mind being possible in the +circumstances was ridiculous. + +Milly was rejoiced. Here she had unexpectedly found a friend to +sympathise with her intelligently. Her uncle, she was well aware, +sympathised with her heartily, but not intelligently; for his knowledge +of botany, he told her frankly, was inferior to that of a tom-cat, and +he was capable of little more in that line than to distinguish the +difference between a cabbage and a potato. + +At it, therefore, the two young people went with real enthusiasm--we +might almost say with red-hot enthusiasm--for botany was only a +superstructure, so to speak, love being the foundation of the whole +affair. + +But let not the reader jump to hasty conclusions. Barret and Milly, +being young and inexperienced, were absolutely ignorant at that time of +the true state of matters. Both were earnest and straightforward--both +were ardently fond of botany, and neither, up to that period, had known +what it was to fall in love. What more natural, then, than that they +should attribute their condition to botany? There is, indeed, a sense +in which their idea was correct, for sympathy is one of the most +precious seeds with which poor humanity is entrusted, and did not botany +enable these two to unite in planting that seed, and is not sympathy the +germ of full-blown love? If so, may they not be said to have fallen in +love botanically? We make no assertion in regard to this. We merely, +and modestly, put the question, leaving it to the intelligent reader to +supply the answer--an exceedingly convenient mode of procedure when one +is not quite sure of the answer one's self. + +To return. Having got "at it," Barret and Milly continued at it for +several hours, during which period they either forgot, or did not care +to remember, the flight of time. They also contrived, during that time, +to examine, discuss, and comment upon, a prodigious number of plants, +all of which, being in pots or boxes, were conveyed by the youth to the +empty stand at the side of the fair invalid. The minute examination +with a magnifying glass of corolla, and stamen, and calyx, etcetera, +rendered it necessary, of course, that these inquiries into the +mysteries of Nature should bring the two heads pretty close together; +one consequence being that the seed-plant of sympathy was "forced" a +good deal, and developed somewhat after the fashion of those plants +which Hindoo jugglers cause magically to sprout, blossom, and bloom +before the very eyes of astonished beholders--with this difference, +however, that whereas the development of the jugglers is deceptive as +well as quick, that of our botanists was genuine and natural, though +rapid. + +The clang of the luncheon gong was the first thing that brought them to +their senses. + +"Surely there must be some mistake! Junkie must be playing with--no, it +is indeed one o'clock," exclaimed Milly, consulting in unbelief a watch +so small that it seemed like cruelty to expect it to go at all, much +less to go correctly. + +As she spoke, the door of the conservatory opened, and Mrs Gordon +appeared with affected indignation on her usually mild countenance. + +"You naughty child!" she exclaimed, hurrying forward. "Did I not warn +you to stay no longer than an hour? and here you are, flushed, and no +doubt feverish, in consequence of staying the whole forenoon. Take my +arm, and come away directly." + +"I pray you, Mrs Gordon, to lay the blame on my shoulders," said +Barret. "I fear it was my encouraging Miss Moss to talk of her +favourite study that induced her to remain." + +"I would be only too glad to lay the blame on your shoulders if I could +lay Milly's weakness there too," returned the lady. "It is quite +evident that you would never do for a nurse. Strong men like you have +not sympathy enough to put yourself in the place of invalids, and think +how they feel. I would scold you severely, sir, if you were not my +guest. As it is, I will forgive you if you promise me not to mention +the subject of botany in the presence of my niece for a week to come." + +"The condition is hard," said Barret, with a laugh; "but I promise--that +is, if Miss Moss does not force the subject on me." + +"I promise that, Mr Barret; but I also attach a condition." + +"Which is--?" + +"That you go to Eagle Cliff some day this week, and find for me a +particular plant for which I have sought for a long time in vain, but +which I am told is to be found there." + +"Most willingly. Nothing could give me greater pleasure," returned the +youth, with an air of such eager enthusiasm that he felt constrained to +add,--"you see, the acquisition of new and rare plants has been a sort +of passion with me for many years, and I am quite delighted to find that +there is a possibility of not only gratifying it here, but of being able +at the same time to contribute to your happiness." + +They reached the house as he made this gallant speech, and Milly went +straight to her room. + +The only members of the household who sat down to luncheon that day were +Mrs Gordon, Archie, the enthusiastic photographer, and Flo, with her +black doll; and the only guest, besides Barret, was McPherson, the +skipper of the lost yacht. The rest were all out rambling by mountain, +loch, or stream. + +"Milly won't appear again to-day," said the hostess, as she sat down. +"I knew that she had overdone it. The shock to her system has been far +too severe to admit of botanical discussions." + +Barret professed himself overwhelmed with a sense of guilt, and promised +to avoid the dangerous subject in future. + +"Mother," exclaimed Flo, who was a good but irrepressible child, "what +d'ee t'ink? Archie have pofografft dolly, an' she's as like as--as--two +peas. Isn't she, Archie?" + +"Quite as like as that, Flo," replied Archie, with a laugh; "liker, if +anything." + +"By the way, how did you get on with your photographing yesterday +afternoon, Archie?" asked Barret. + +"Pretty well with some of the views; but I ruined the last one, because +father would have me introduce Captain McPherson and his man McGregor." + +"Is that so, captain?" asked Mrs Gordon. + +"Oo, ay; it iss true enough," answered the skipper, with a grim smile. +"He made a queer like mess o' me, what-e-ver." + +"How was it, Archie?" + +"Well, mother, this is how it was. You know the waterfall at the head +of Raven's Nook? Well, I have long wanted to take that, so I went up +with father and Mr Mabberly. We found the captain and McGregor sitting +there smoking their pipes, and when I was arranging the camera, the +captain said to me--" + +"No, Maister Archie," interrupted the skipper; "I did not say anything +to Shames. You should be more parteekler. But Shames said something to +_me_, what-e-ver." + +"Just so; I forgot," continued Archie. "Well, McGregor said to the +captain, `What would you think if we wass to sit still an' co into the +pictur'?'" + +"Oo, ay; that was just it, an' fery like him too," said the skipper, +laughing at Archie's imitation, though he failed to recognise the +similarity to his own drawling and nasal tones. People always do thus +fail. We can never see ourselves! + +"Well," continued Archie, "father insisted that I was to take them, +though they quite spoiled the view. So I did; but in the very middle of +the operation, what did the captain do but insist on changing his--" + +"Not at all, Maister Archie," again interrupted the skipper; "you have +not got the right of it. It wass Shames said to me that he thought you +had feenished, an' so I got up; an' then you roared like a wild bullock +to keep still, and so what could I do but keep still? an so--" + +"Exactly; that was it," cried Archie, interrupting in his turn; "but you +kept still _standing_, and so there were three figures in the picture +when it was done, and your fist in the standing one came right in front +of your own nose in the sitting one, for all the world as if you were +going to knock yourself down. Such a mess it was altogether!" + +"That iss fery true. It wass a mess, what-e-ver!" + +"You must show me this curious photograph, Archie, after lunch," said +Barret; "it must be splendid." + +"But it is not so splendid as my dolly," chimed in Flo. "I'll show you +zat after lunch too." + +Accordingly, after the meal was over, Archie carried Barret off to his +workshop. Then Flo took him to the nursery, where she not only showed +him the portrait of the nigger doll, which was a striking likeness--for +dolls invariably sit well--but took special pains to indicate the +various points which had "come out" so "bootifully"--such as the nails +which Junkie had driven into its wooden head for the purpose of making +it behave better; the chip that Junkie had taken off the end of its nose +when he tried to convert that feature into a Roman; the deep line drawn +round the head close to the hair by Junkie, when, as the chief of the +Micmac Indians, he attempted to scalp it; and the hole through the right +eye, by which Junkie proposed to let a little more light into its black +brain. + +Having seen and commented on all these things, Barret retired to the +smoking-room, not to smoke, but to consult a bundle of newspapers which +the post had brought to the house that day. + +For it must not be imagined that the interests and amusements by which +he was surrounded had laid the ghost of the thin, little old lady whom +he had mur--at least run down--in London. No; wherever he went, and +whatever he did, that old lady, like Nemesis, pursued him. When he +looked down, she lay sprawling--a murdered, at least a manslaughtered, +victim--at his feet. When he looked up, she hung, like the sword of +Damocles, by a single fibre of maiden's hair over his head. + +It was of no use that his friend Jackman rallied him on the point. + +"My dear fellow," he would say, "don't you see that if you had really +killed her, the thing would have been published far and wide all over +the kingdom, with a minute description, and perhaps a portrait of +yourself on the bicycle, in all the illustrated papers? Even if you had +only injured her severely, they would have made a sensation of it, with +an offer, perhaps, of a hundred pounds for your capture, and a careful +indication of the streets through which you passed when you ran away--" + +"Ay, that's what makes the matter so much worse," Barret would reply; +"the unutterable meanness of running away!" + +"But you repented of that immediately," Jackman would return in soothing +tones; "and you did your utmost to undo it, though the effort was +futile." + +Barret was usually comforted a good deal by the remarks of his friend, +and indeed frequently forgot his trouble, especially when meditating on +botanical subjects with Milly. Still, it remained a fact that he was +haunted by the little old lady, more or less, and had occasional bad +dreams, besides becoming somewhat anxious every time he opened a +newspaper. + +While Barret and the skipper were thus taking what the latter called an +easy day of it, their friend Mabberly, with Eddie and Junkie and the +seaman McGregor, had gone over the pass in the waggonette to the village +of Cove for a day's sea-fishing. They were driven by Ivor Donaldson. + +"You'll not have been in these parts before, sir?" said Ivor, who was a +quiet, polite, and sociable man when not under the influence of drink. + +"No, never," answered Mabberly, who sat on the seat beside him; "and if +it had not been for our misfortune, or the carelessness of that unknown +steamer, I should probably never have known of the existence of your +beautiful island. At least, I would have remained in ignorance of its +grandeur and beauty." + +"That proves the truth of the south-country sayin', sir,--`It's an ill +wind that blaws nae guid.'" + +"It does, indeed; for although the loss of my father's yacht is a very +considerable one, to have missed the hospitality of the laird of +Kinlossie, and the rambling over your magnificent hills, would have been +a greater misfortune." + +The keeper, who cherished a warm feeling for old Mr Gordon, and admired +him greatly, expressed decided approval of the young man's sentiments, +as was obvious from the pleased smile on his usually grave countenance, +though his lips only gave utterance to the expression, "Fery true, sir; +you are not far wrong." + +At the Eagle Pass they halted a few minutes to breathe the horses. +Eddie and Junkie, of course, jumped down, followed by James McGregor, +with whom they had already formed a friendship. + +"Come away, an' we'll show you the place where Milly fell down. Come +along, quicker, Shames," cried Junkie, adopting the name that the +skipper used; for the boy's love of pleasantry not infrequently betrayed +him into impudence. + +With a short laugh, Mabberly turned to Ivor, and asked if Shames was the +Gaelic for James. + +"No, sir" replied the keeper; "but James is the English for Shames." + +"Ha! you are quoting now--or rather, misquoting--from the lips of some +Irishman." + +"Weel, sir, I never heard it said that quota-ashun wass a sin," retorted +Ivor; then, turning to the stupendous cliff that frowned above them, +"Hev ye heard of the prophecy, sir, aboot this cliff?" + +"No. What is it?" + +"It's said that the cliff is to be the scene of a ghost story, a love +story, and a murder all at the same time." + +"Is that all, Ivor? Did the prophet give no indication how the stories +were to end, or who the murderer is to be, or the murdered one?" + +"Never a word, sir; only they wass all to be aboot the same time. +Indeed, the prophet, whether man or wuman, is not known. Noo, we better +shump up." + +In a few minutes the waggonette was rattling down the slopes that led to +Cove, and soon afterwards they were exchanging greetings with old Ian +Anderson, the fisherman. + +"Iss it to fush, ye'll be wantin'?" asked Ian, as he ushered the party +into his cottage, where Mrs Anderson was baking oat-cakes, and Aggy was +busy knitting socks with her thin fingers as deftly and rapidly as if +she had been in robust health. + +"Yes, that is our object to-day," said Mabberly. "Good-day, Mrs +Anderson; good-day, Aggy. I'm glad to see you looking so much better, +though I can't see very well for your cottage is none of the lightest," +he said, glancing at the small window, where a ragged head, with a +flattened white nose, accounted for the obscurity. + +"There might be _more_ light," said Ian, seizing a thick thorn stick, +and making a sudden demonstration towards the door, the instant effect +of which action was an improvement in the light. It did not last long, +however, for "Tonal'," after watching at the corner of the cottage long +enough to make sure that the demonstration was a mere feint, returned to +his post of observation. + +"Yes, sir," remarked Mrs Anderson; "Aggy is much better. The fresh air +is doin' her cood already, an' the peels that the shentleman--your +friend--gave her is workin' wonders." + +"They usually do, of one sort or another," returned Mabberly, with a +peculiar smile. "I'm glad they happen to be wonders of the right sort +in Aggy's case. My friend has been out in India, and his prescriptions +have been conceived in a warm climate, you see, which may account for +their wonder-working qualities. Can we have your boat to-day, Mr +Anderson?" + +"Oo, ay; ye can hev that, sir," said Ian, summoning Donald to his +presence with a motion of his finger. "Tonal'," he said, when ragged +head stood at the open door, "hev we ony pait?" + +"Ay, plenty." + +"Co doon, then, an' git the poat ready." + +The boy disappeared without reply--a willing messenger. A few minutes +more, and Ivor and Ian were rowing the boat towards a part of the sea +which was deemed good fishing ground, while the rest of the party busied +themselves arranging the lines. + +Strong brown lines they were, wound on little square wooden frames, each +with a heavy leaden sinker and a couple of strong coarse hooks of +whitened metal attached to the lines by stout whipcord; for the denizens +of those western waters were not the poddlies, coddlings, and shrimps +that one is apt to associate with summer resorts by the sea. They were +those veritable inhabitants of the deep that figure on the slabs of +Billingsgate and similar markets--plaice and skate of the largest +dimensions, congers that might suggest the great sea serpent, and even +sharks of considerable size. + +The surroundings were cognate. Curlews and sandpipers whistled on the +shore, complaining sea-mews sailed overhead, and the low-lying skerries +outside were swarming with "skarts" and other frequenters of the wild +north. + +"Oh, _what_ a funny face!" exclaimed Junkie, as a great seal rose head +and shoulders out of the sea, not fifty yards off, to look at them. Its +observations induced it to sink promptly. + +"Let co the anchor, Tonal'," said Ian; "the pottom should be cood here." + +"Hand me the pait, Junkie," said McGregor. + +"Shie a bit this way," shouted Eddie. + +"There--I've broke it!" exclaimed Junkie, almost whimpering, as he held +up the handle of his knife in one hand, and in the other a mussel with a +broken blade sticking in it. + +"Never mind, Junkie. You can have mine, and keep it," said Mabberly, +handing to the delighted boy a large buck-horn-handled knife, which +bristled with appliances. + +"An' don't try it on again," said Ian. "Here iss pait for you, my poy." + +A few minutes more, and the lines were down, and expectation was +breathlessly rampant. + +"Hi!" burst from Eddie, at the same moment that "Ho!" slipped from +McGregor; but both ceased to haul in on finding that the "tugs" were not +repeated. + +"Hallo!" yelled "Tonal'," who fished beside Junkie, on feeling a tug +worthy of a whale; and, "Hee! hee!" burst from Junkie, whose mischievous +hand had caused the tug when ragged head was not looking. + +In the midst of these false alarms Ivor drew up his line, and no one was +aware of his success until a fish of full ten pounds' weight was +floundering in the boat. The boys were yet commenting on it noisily, +when Ian put a large cod beside it. + +"_What_ a tug!" cried Eddie, beginning to haul up in violent haste. + +"Hev a care, or the line will pairt," said McGregor. + +At the same moment "Shames" himself gave a jerk, as if he had received +an electric shock, and in a few seconds a large plaice and a small crab +were added to the "pile!" + +"I've got _something_ at last," said Mabberly, doing his best to repress +excitement as he hauled in his line deliberately. + +The something turned out to be an eel about four feet long, which went +about the boat as if it were in its native element, and cost an amazing +amount of exertion, whacking, and shouting, to subdue. + +But this was nothing to the fish with which Junkie began to struggle +immediately after, and which proved to be a real shark, five feet long. +After the united efforts of Ian and Donald had drawn it to the surface, +Junkie was allowed to strike the gaff into it, and a loud cheer greeted +the monster of the deep as it was hurled into the bottom of the boat. + +Thus, in expectation, excitation, and animation, they spent the +remainder of that memorable day. + + + +CHAPTER SEVEN. + +AMAZING DEEDS AND MISDEEDS AT A DEER-DRIVE. + +To some casts of mind there is no aspect of nature so enchanting or +romantic as that which is presented, on a fine summer day from the +vantage ground of a ridge or shoulder high up on the mountains of one of +our western isles. + +It may be that the union of the familiar and beautiful with the +unfamiliar and wild is that which arouses our enthusiastic admiration. +As we stand in the calm genial atmosphere of a summer day, surveying the +land and sea-scape from a commanding height that seems to have raised us +above the petty cares of life, the eye and mind pass like the +lightning-flash from the contemplation of the purple heather and purple +plants around--and from the home-feelings thereby engendered--to the +grand, apparently illimitable ocean, and the imagination is set free to +revel in the unfamiliar and romantic regions "beyond seas." + +Some such thoughts were passing in the mind of Giles Jackman, as he +stood alone, rifle in hand, on such a height one splendid forenoon, and +contemplated the magnificent panorama. + +Far down below--so far that the lowing of the red and black specks, +which were cattle, and the bleating of the white specks, which were +sheep, failed to reach him--a few tiny cottages could be seen, each in +the midst of a green patch that indicated cultivation. Farther on, a +snow-white line told where the wavelets kissed the rugged shore, but no +sound of the kiss reached the hunter's ear. Beyond, as if floating on +the calm water, numerous rocky islets formed the playground of +innumerable gulls, skarts, seals, loons, and other inhabitants of the +wild north; but only to the sense of vision were their varied activities +perceptible. Among these islets were a few blacker spots, which it +required a steady look to enable one to recognise as the boats of +fishermen; but beyond them no ship or sign of man was visible on the +great lone sea, over, and reflected in which, hung a few soft and +towering masses of cloudland. + + "If thus thy meaner works are fair, + And beautiful beyond compare; + How glorious must the mansions be + Where Thy redeemed shall dwell with Thee!" + +Jackman murmured rather than spoke the words, for no human ear was there +to hear. Nevertheless there were human ears and tongues also, not far +distant, engaged in earnest debate. It was on one of the ledges of the +Eagle Cliff that our hunter stood. At another part of the same cliff, +close to the pass where Milly Moss met with her accident, Allan Gordon +stood with nearly all his visitors and several of his retainers around +him. + +"Higher up the pass you'll have a much better chance, Mr Barret. Is it +not so, Ivor?" + +The keeper, who, in kilt, hose, and bonnet, was as fine a specimen of a +tall athletic Highlander as one could wish to see, replied that that was +true. + +"Nae doot," he said, "I hev put Mr Jackman in the best place of all, +for, whativer way the deer come, they'll hev to pass close, either above +or below him--an' that's maybe as weel for him wi' his queer +new-fashioned rifle; but at the heed o' the pass is the next best place. +The only thing is that ye'll hev to tak' sure aim, for there's more +room for them to stray, an' ye may chance to git only a lang shot." + +"Well, then, it is not the place for me, for I am a poor shot," said +Barret; "besides, I have a fancy to stay here, where I am. You say it +is a very good spot, Ivor, I understand?" + +"Weel, it's no' that bad as a spote," answered the keeper, with a grim +smile, for he had not much opinion of Barret's spirit as a sportsman; +"but it's ackward as the lawnd lies." + +"Never mind. I'll stay here, and you know, laird, that I have some +pleasant associations with it in connection with your niece." + +"That is more than Milly has," returned the old gentleman, laughing. +"However, have your way. Now, gentlemen, we must place ourselves +quickly, for the beaters will soon be entering the wood. I will take +you, Mr Mabberly, to a spot beyond the pass where you will be pretty +sure of a shot. And MacRummle--where shall we place him?" + +"He can do nothing wi' the gun at a', sir," muttered the keeper, in a +low voice, so that he might not be overheard. "I wad putt him doon at +the white rock. He'll git a lang shot at them there. Of course he'll +miss, but that'll do weel enough for him--for he's easy pleased; ony +way, if he tak's shootin' as he tak's fishin', a mere sight o' the deer, +like the rise o' a salmon, 'll send him home happy." + +"Very well, Ivor, arrange as you think best. And how about Captain +McPherson and McGregor?" + +"I'll tak' care o' them mysel', sir." + +"Ye need na' fash yer heed aboot us, laird," said the skipper. "Bein' +more used to the sea than the mountains, we will be content to look on. +Iss that not so, Shames?" + +"That iss so--what-e-ver," returned the seaman. + +"Well, come along then; the beaters must be at work now. How many did +you get, Ivor?" + +"I'm not exactly sure, sir," returned the keeper; "there's Ian Anderson +an' Tonal' from Cove, an' Mister Archie an' Eddie, an' Roderick--that's +five. Oo, ay, I forgot, there's that queer English loon, Robin Tips-- +he's no' o' much use, but he can mak' a noise--besides three o' Mr +Grant's men." + +"That's plenty--now then--" + +"Please, father," said Junkie, who had listened with open eyes and +mouth, as well as ears, for this was his first deer-stalk, "may I stop +with Mr Barret?" + +"Certainly, my boy, if Mr Barret does not object." + +Of course Mr Barret did not object, though he was rather surprised at +this mark of preference. + +"I say, me boy," whispered Pat Quin, "ask av I may stop wid ye." + +Junkie looked at the Irishman doubtfully for a moment, then said-- + +"Father, Quin says he wants to stop with me." + +"You mayn't do that, Quin," returned the laird with a smile; "but you +may go and stay with your master. I heard him say that he would like +you to be with him to keep you out of mischief." + +"Thankee, sor. I was used to attend on 'im in the jungles to carry his +spare guns, for it's ellyphints, no less, that we was used to bag out +there; but I make no question he can amuse himsilf wid deer an' things +like that where there's nothin' better. He was always aisy to plaze, +like Mr MacRummle." + +"Just so, Quin; and as MacRummle knows the hill, and has to pass the +place where Mr Jackman has been left, you had better follow him." + +This arranged, the different parties took up their positions to await +the result of the beating of a strip of dwarf forest, several miles in +extent, which clothed part of the mountain slopes below the Eagle Cliff. + +On reaching the spot where Jackman was stationed, old MacRummle +explained to him the various arrangements that had just been made for +the comfort of all. + +"I am sorry they gave me the best place," said Jackman. "I suppose it +is because the laird thinks my experience in India entitles me to it; +but I would much rather that Mabberly or Barret had got the chance, for +I'm used to this sort of thing, and, after bagging elephants, I can +afford to lay on my oars and see my friends go in and win." + +"An' sure, aren't thim the very words I said, sor?" put in Quin. + +"Have they given you a good place?" asked Jackman of MacRummle, taking +no notice of his man's remarks. + +"They've given me the worst," said the old man, simply; "and I cannot +blame them, for, as the keeper truly remarked, I can do nothing with the +gun,"--still less with the rifle, he might have added! "At the same +time, I confess it would have added somewhat to the zest of the day if +Ivor had allowed me some degree of hope. He thought I didn't overhear +him, but I did; for they give me credit for greater deafness than I +deserve." + +There was something so pitiful, yet half amusing, in the way in which +this was said, that Jackman suddenly grasped the old gentleman's hand. + +"Mr MacRummle," he said firmly, "will you do me a favour?" + +"Certainly, with pleasure--if I can." + +"You can--and you shall. It is this: change places and rifles with me." + +"My dear, kind sir, you don't know what you ask. My rifle is an old +double-barrel muzzle loader, and at the white rock you wouldn't have the +ghost of a chance. I know the place well, having often passed it in +fishing excursions up the burns. Besides, I never used a repeating +rifle in my life. I couldn't manage it, even if I were to try." + +"Mr MacRummle, are you not a Highlander?" + +"I believe I am!" replied the old man, drawing himself up with a smile. + +"And is not that equivalent to saying that you are a man of your word?" + +"Well--I suppose it is so--at least it should be so." + +"But you will prove that it is not so, if you fail to do me a favour +that lies in your power, after promising to do it. Come now, we have no +time to lose. I will show you how to use the repeater. See; it is +empty just now. All you have to do is to take aim as you would with any +ordinary rifle, and pull the trigger. When the shot is off, you load +again by simply doing _this_ to the trigger-guard--so. D'you +understand?" + +"Yes, perfectly; but is that all? no putting in of cartridges anywhere?" + +"No, nothing more. Simply do _that_ (open--and the cartridge flies +out), and _that_ (shut--and you are loaded and ready to fire)! Now, try +it. That's it! Capital! Couldn't be better. Why, you were born to be +a sportsman!" + +"Yes, with fish," remarked the gratified old man, as he went through the +motions of loading and firing to perfection. + +"Now, then, I will load it thus. Watch me." + +As he spoke, he filled the chamber under the barrel with cartridge after +cartridge to the amazement of MacRummle and the amusement of Quin, who +looked on. + +"How many shots will it fire without reloading?" asked the old man at +length. + +"Sixteen," replied Jackman. + +"What! sixteen? But--but how will I ever know how many I've let off?" + +"You don't require to know. Just blaze away till it refuses to fire! +Now, I must be off. Where is this white rock that I have to go to?" + +"There it is--look. A good bit down the hill, on the open ground near +the forest. If you have good eyes, you can see it from here. Look, +just behind the ridge. D'you see?" + +"I see. Great luck to you. Do good work, and teach that rascal Ivor to +respect your powers with the rifle. Come along, Quin." + +"But really, my young friend, it is too good, too self-denying of you +to--" + +He stopped, for Jackman and Quin were already striding down the mountain +on their way to the white rock. + +MacRummle had been somewhat excited by the enthusiasm of his young +friend and the novelty of his situation. To say truth, he would much +rather have been pottering along the banks of one of his loved Highland +streams, rod in hand, than crouching in the best pass of the Eagle Cliff +in expectation of red-deer; but being an amiable and sympathetic man, he +had been fired by the enthusiasm of the household that morning, and, +seeing that all were going to the drive, including the laird, he made up +his mind to brace himself up to the effort, and float with the current. +His enthusiasm had not cooled when he reached the Eagle Cliff, and +Jackman's kindness, coupled with hope and the repeating rifle, increased +it even to white heat. In which condition he sat down on a rock, +removed his hat, and wiped his bald, perspiring head, while a benignant +smile illuminated his glowing features. + +About the same time, Barret and Junkie having selected a convenient mass +of rock as their outlook, so that they could command the pass for some +distance in both directions without exposing themselves to view, rested +the rifle against the cliff and began to talk. Soon the young man +discovered that the little boy, like many other mischievous boys, was of +an exceedingly inquiring disposition. Among other things, he not only +began an intelligent inquiry about the locks of a rifle, but a practical +inquiry with his fingers, which called for remonstrance. + +"Do you know, Junkie, that this is the very spot where your Cousin Milly +fell?" said Barret, by way of directing the urchin's thoughts into a +safer channel. + +"Is it? Oh, dear, _what_ a thump she must have come down!" + +"Yes, indeed, a dreadful thump--poor thing. She was trying to get +flowers at the time. Do you know that she is exceedingly fond of +flowers?" + +"Oh, don't I? She's got books full of them--all pasted in with names +printed under them. I often wonder what she sees in flowers to be so +fond of them. I don't care a button for them myself, unless they smell +nice. But I often scramble after them for her." + +"There is a good deal to like in flowers besides the smell," said +Barret, assuming an instructive tone, which Junkie resented on the spot. + +"Oh, yes, I don't want to know; you needn't try to teach me," he said, +firmly. + +"Of course not. I wouldn't think of teaching you, my boy. You know I'm +not a schoolmaster. I'm not clever enough for that, and when I was your +age, I hated to be taught. But I could _show_ you some things about +flowers and plants that would astonish you. Only it would not be safe +to do it just now, for the deer might come up and--" + +"No they won't," interrupted the boy; "it's a monstrous big wood they've +got to pass through before they can come here, so we have time to look +at some of the 'stonishin' things." + +"Well, then, come. We will just go a little way up the cliff." + +Leading Junkie away among the masses of fallen rock, which strewed that +ledge of the cliff, the wily youth began to examine plants and flowers +minutely, and to gradually arouse in the boy's mind an interest in such +parts of botanical science as he was capable of understanding. + +Meanwhile the small army of beaters had extended themselves across the +distant end of the forest, which, being some miles off, and on the other +side of a great shoulder of the mountain, was not only out of sight, but +out of hearing of the stalkers who watched the passes of the Eagle +Cliff. + +All the beaters, or drivers, were well acquainted with the work they had +to do, with the exception of Robin Tips, to whom, of course, it was +quite new. But Ian Anderson put him under Donald's care, with strict +injunctions to look well after him. + +"Now, Tonal', see that ye don't draw together an' git ta-alkin' so as to +forget what ye're about. Keep him at the right distance away from ye, +an' as much in line as ye can." + +"Oo, ay," returned ragged head, in a tone that meant, when translated +into familiar English, "Don't teach your grandmother to suck eggs!" + +In a sequestered dell on the slope of the hills, a lordly stag and +several hinds were enjoying themselves that morning among the bracken +and bright mosses, partially screened from the sun by the over-arching +boughs of birch and hazel, and solaced by the tinkling music of a +neighbouring rill. Thick underwood concealed the dell on all sides; +grey lichen-covered boulders surrounded it; no sound disturbed it save +the faint cry of the plover and curlew on the distant shore, or the flap +of a hawk's wing as it soared overhead. Altogether it looked like a +safe and sure retreat, but it did not prove to be so. + +Mingled with the plaintive cries of the wild fowl, there came a faint-- +barely perceptible--sound of the human voice. The stag pricked up his +ears, and raised his antlered head. It was by no means a new sound to +him. The shepherd's voice calling to his collie on the mountain-side +was a familiar sound, that experience had taught him boded no evil. The +converse of friends as they plodded along the roads or foot-paths that +often skirted his lairs, had a tone of innocence about it which only +induced caution--not alarm. But there was nothing of this in the sounds +that now met his ears. He raised himself higher, opened his nostrils +wider, sniffed the tainted air, and then, turning his graceful head, +made some remark--we presume, though we cannot be positive on this +point--to his wives. + +These, meek and gentle--as females usually are, or ought to be--turned +their soft inquiring gaze on their lord. Thus they stood, as if +spell-bound, while the sounds slowly but steadily increased in volume +and approached their retreat. Presently a shoulder of the mountain was +turned by the drivers, and their discordant voices came down on the +gentle breeze with unmistakable significance. + +We regret being unable to report exactly what the stag then said to his +wives, but the result was that the entire family bounded from their +retreat, and, in the hurry and alarm of the moment, scattered along +various glades, all of which, however, trended ultimately towards those +mountain fastnesses that exist about and beyond the Eagle Cliff. + +Two of the hinds followed their lord in a direction which led them out +of the wood within sight of, though a considerable distance from, the +white rock behind which Jackman and Quin were concealed. The others +fled by tracks somewhat higher on the hill-sides, where however, as the +reader knows, the enemy was posted to intercept them. + +"Sure it's a purty stag, afther all," whispered Quin, who, in spite of +elephantine-Indian sport, was somewhat excited by this sudden appearance +of the Scottish red-deer. "But they're a long way off, sor." + +"Not too far, if the rifle is true," said Jackman, in a very low voice, +as he put up the long-range sight. + +"You'll git a good chance at the stag whin he tops the hillock forenent +you, sor," remarked the somewhat garrulous Irishman. + +"I won't fire at the stag, Quin," returned Jackman, quietly. "You and I +have surely killed enough of bigger game abroad. We can afford to let +the stag pass on to our friends higher up, some of whom have never seen +a red-deer before, and may never have a chance of seeing one again." + +All this was said by the sportsman in a low, soft voice, which could not +have been heard three yards off, yet his sharp eye was fixed intently on +the passing deer. Seeing that there was no likelihood of their coming +nearer, he raised his rifle, took steady but quick aim, and fired. One +of the hinds dropped at once; the other followed her terrified lord as +he dashed wildly up the slope. + +Partial deafness is a slight disadvantage in deer-stalking. So, at +least, MacRummle discovered that day. After having wiped his forehead, +as already described, he set himself steadily to fulfil the duties of +his situation. These were not so simple as one might suppose, for, as +had been explained to him by Jackman, he had to watch two passes--one +close above his post, the other close below it--either of which might +bring the deer within easy reach of his rifle, but of course there was +the uncertainty as to which of the two passes the deer would choose. As +it was a physical impossibility to have his eyes on both passes at once, +the old gentleman soon found that turning his head every few seconds +from one side to the other became irksome. Then it became painful. At +last it became torture, and then he gave up this plan in despair, +resolving to devote a minute at a time to each pass, although feeling +that by so doing his chances were greatly diminished. + +When Jackman fired his shot, MacRummle's ears refused to convey the +information to his brain. He still sat there, turning his head slowly +to and fro, and feeling rather sleepy. One of the scattered deer, which +had gone higher up the mountain, passed him by the upper track. +MacRummle was gazing at the lower track just then! Having given the +allotted time to it, he turned languidly and beheld the hind, trotting +rather slowly, for it was somewhat winded. + +The sight sent sportsman-fire through the old gentleman's entire frame. +He sprang, he almost tumbled up, but before he could fire, a jealous +boulder intervened. Rushing up a few yards, he was just in time to see +the animal bound over a cliff and disappear. + +Depressed beyond measure, he returned to his post and resumed the rapid +head-motion which he had foolishly discontinued. This was fortunate, +for it enabled him to see in time the stag and hind which Jackman had +sent bounding towards him. Another moment, and the affrighted creatures +were within range. MacRummle sprang up, put the repeater to his +shoulder, and then commenced a fusillade that baffles description. +Bang, bang, bang, went the repeater; bang, bang, double-bang, and +banging everywhere went the startled echoes of the mountain. Never +since it sprang from the volcanic forces of nature had the Eagle Cliff +sent forth such a spout of rattling reverberation. The old man took no +aim whatever. He merely went through the operations of load and fire +with amazing rapidity. Each crack delivered into the arms of echo was +multiplied a hundredfold. Showers of bullets seemed to hail around the +astounded quarry. Smoke, as of a battle, enshrouded the sportsman. The +rifle became almost too hot to hold, and when at last it ceased to +respond to the drain upon its bankrupt magazine, the stag and hind lay +dead upon the track, and MacRummle lay exhausted with excitement and +exertion upon the heather! + +This unwonted fusillade took the various parties higher up the hill by +surprise. To Ivor, indeed, it was quite a new experience, and he +regarded it with a smile of grim contempt. + +"There iss noise enough--what-e-ver!" remarked Skipper McPherson, who +sat beside the keeper with a double-barrelled gun charged with buckshot, +which he had in readiness. + +"Look! look!" exclaimed Ivor, pointing to another part of the pass, +"your friend McGregor has got a fright!" + +"Ay, that's true. Shames would be troubled in his mind, I think." + +There was indeed some reason to suppose so. The worthy seaman, having +got tired of waiting, had, against Ivor's advice, wandered a few yards +along the pass, where, seeing something farther on that aroused his +curiosity, he laid down the single-barrelled fowling-piece with which he +had been provided, and began to clamber. Just as the repeater opened +fire, two hinds, which had got ahead of the others, ran through the pass +by different tracks. One of these McGregor saw before it came up, and +he rushed wildly back for his gun. It was this act that his comrades +rightly attributed to mental perturbation. + +"Look out!" whispered the keeper. + +As he spoke the other hind, doubling round a mass of fallen rock, almost +leaped into McGregor's arms. It darted aside, and the seaman, uttering +a wild shout, half raised his gun and fired. The butt hit him on the +chest and knocked him down, while the shot went whizzing in all +directions round his comrades, cutting their garments, but fortunately +doing them no serious injury. + +"Oh, Shames! ye was always in too great a hurry," remonstrated the +skipper, oblivious of the fact that he himself had been too slow. + +"Quick, man, fire!" cried Ivor, testily. + +The captain tried to energise. In doing so he let off one barrel at the +celestial orbs unintentionally. The other might as well have gone the +same way, for all the execution it did. + +When he looked at the keeper, half apologetically, he saw that he was +quietly examining his leg, which had been penetrated by a pellet. + +"Eh! man, are 'ee shot?" cried the captain, anxiously. + +"Oo, ay, but I'm none the worse o' it! I had a presentiment o' +somethin' o' this sort, an' loaded his gun wi' small shot," replied the +keeper. + +Profound were the expressions of apology from McGregor, on learning what +he had done, and patronisingly cool were the assurances of Ivor that the +injury was a mere flea-bite. And intense was the astonishment when it +was discovered that a stag and a hind had fallen to old MacRummle with +that "treemendious" repeater! And great was the laughter afterwards, at +lunch time on the field of battle, when Junkie gravely related that +Barret was upon a precipice, trying to reach a rare plant, when the deer +passed, so that he did not get a shot at all! And confused was the +expression of Barret's face when he admitted the fact, though he +carefully avoided stating that his mind was taken up at the time with a +very different kind of dear! + +It was afternoon when the assembled party, including drivers, sat down +to luncheon on the hill-side, and began to allay the cravings of +appetite, and at the same time to recount or discuss in more or less +energetic tones, the varied experiences of the morning. Gradually the +victuals were consumed, and the experiences pretty well thrashed out, +including those of poor Mabberly, who had failed to get even a chance of +a shot. + +"An' sure it's no wonder at all," was Pat Quin's remark; "for the noise +was almost as bad as that night when you an' me, sor, was out after the +elephants in that great hunt in the North-western provinces of Indy." + +"Oh, _do_ tell us about that," cried Junkie and his brothers, turning +eagerly to Jackman. + +"So I will, my boys; but not now. It will take too long. Some other +time, in the house, perhaps, when a bad day comes." + +"No, now, _now_!" cried Junkie. + +Seeing that most of those present had lighted their pipes, and that the +laird seemed to wish it, Jackman washed down his lunch with a glass of +sparkling water, cleared his throat, and began. + + + +CHAPTER EIGHT. + +JACKMAN'S WONDERFUL ELEPHANT STORY. + +"Once upon a time," said Jackman, glancing at Junkie and Robin Tips, who +sat before him open-mouthed and open-eyed, as if ready to swallow +anything... + +"Yes," murmured Junkie, nodding, "that's the right way to begin." + +"But you must not interrupt, Junkie." + +"No, I won't do it again; but first, tell me, is it true?" + +"Yes, my boy; it is absolutely true in all its main points," replied +Jackman. + +"Well, as I said, once upon a time, not very long ago, I was sent up to +the North-west provinces of India, to a place near the base of the +Himalaya mountain-range. The country was swarming with elephants at +that time. You see, previous to that, the elephants had been hunted and +killed to such an extent that the Government had been obliged to pass an +Elephant Preservation Act for their protection, and the Act worked so +well that the elephants multiplied very fast. They roamed at will +through the forests, and frequently, leaving these, made raids upon the +cultivated lands, to the great damage of property and danger of human +life from the `rogues,' as old, solitary elephants which have been +driven from the herds, are called. These `rogues' are extremely +ill-natured and dangerous, so it was found necessary to take steps to +kill some of them, and thin the herds by capturing some of the females, +which might be tamed and made useful. + +"For this purpose of hunting and catching elephants a hunt upon a truly +magnificent scale was instituted. Now, as it is very difficult to kill +such huge creatures, and still more difficult to catch them, men are +obliged to call to their aid tame elephants, which are trained for the +purpose of what is called Khedda hunting. But I don't mean to tell you +either about the killing or catching just now. I shall rather relate an +extraordinary and thrilling incident that occurred before the hunt had +properly begun. + +"Great men from all parts of the country assembled at this hunt, some of +them bringing troops of tame elephants and followers with them. There +were governors and rajahs, and private secretaries, with some of their +wives, military officers, forest officers, commissioners, collectors, +superintendents, magistrates, surgeons, medical officers, and even +clergymen, besides a host of smaller fry and servants. It was a regular +army! The Maharajah of Bulrampore sent sixty-five catching elephants, +and five koonkies or fighting elephants, among which was a famous +warrior named Chand Moorut. Along with these came a body of men trained +to that special work. A good contingent also came from Rampore. The +Rajah of Khyrigarh came in person with thirteen elephants and a noted +fighting animal, named Berchir Bahadur; other elephants were collected +from the rajahs and native gentlemen around. Among the koonkies, or +gladiators, were two tremendous fellows, both as to colossal size and +courage, named respectively Raj Mungul and Isri Pershad. + +"But far before them all in towering height and stupendous weight and +unconquerable courage, as well as warlike tendency, was the mighty Chand +Moorut, whom I first mentioned. This grand, slow-moving, sedate hero of +a hundred fights, was a sort of elephantine bull-dog; a concentrated +earthquake; an animal thunder-bolt; a suppressed volcano. Nothing in +the forests had yet been found which could stand before his onset. And +when we saw him stalk solemnly into camp with his mahowt, or guide, +looking like a small monkey on his great neck, and remembered his fame +as a fighter and his eager thirst at all times for battle, we felt that +the keystone had been put to the arch of our arrangements. + +"This great mixed multitude was put under the direction of a Conservator +of Forests, a man celebrated for his exploits and daring adventures in +the field, and it was as a friend of his that I joined the hunt with my +man, Pat Quin there." + +"Troth, sor, an' av it wasn't for Chand Moorut (blissin's on his great +sowl, av he has wan, an' on his body av he hasn't) your man Pat Quin +would have been left there as flat as a pancake. Excuse me, sor, for +spakin', but me feelin's overcomed me." + +"No doubt, Quin, you had a narrow escape; I'll come to that soon. Well, +the spot at last chosen for pitching the camp was a splendid one, facing +northward, where we had an extensive view of the great forests that +stretched to the base of the irregular and rugged Sawalick hills. +Behind these rose the mighty Himalayas themselves, their grand peaks +seeming to push up into the very heavens, where the sun shone with +dazzling brilliancy on their everlasting snows. The camp covered an +immense piece of ground, which was partly open and partly dotted with +clumps of trees. It was so large that the tents, etcetera, were +arranged in streets, and our Director pitched his tent in the very +centre of it, with all the tame elephants and their attendants around +him. + +"You may easily fancy that it was a noisy camp, with so many hundreds of +men and animals around, full of excitement, more or less, about the +coming fight; for we had a number of men, called trackers, out in the +woods, who had brought in news that a herd of wild elephants had just +been discovered in the Saharanpur and Dun forests, on the banks of the +Ganges. + +"The glens in these forests were known to be well suited for hunting +purposes, so our hopes and expectations were raised to a high pitch. +Towards evening we had got pretty well settled down, when a rumour got +about the camp that one of the Khedda elephants had killed a man, and +that it was highly probable he would run _amuck_ to the great danger of +every one. It happened thus:-- + +"A big tusker, named Mowla Buksh, was being taken by his mahowt to drink +and bathe, according to custom, when it was observed that the elephant +seemed to be out of temper. Just then one of the fodder-cutters chanced +to pass by. + +"`Keep out of his way,' cried the mahowt, in a warning tone. `There's +something wrong with him to-day. I won't bathe him, I think.' + +"`Oh! he knows me well, and won't harm me,' returned the cutter. + +"The words were scarcely out of the man's mouth, when the brute rushed +at him, knocked him down, gored him with his tusks, and kicked him after +the fashion of enraged elephants. Of course the poor man was instantly +killed. When this deed was done, Mowlah Buksh seemed to feel that, +having lost his character, he might as well go on in his course of +mischief. He became wild with fury, and kept throwing his head back in +a vain endeavour to seize his mahowt with his trunk and kill him also. +In this effort he failed. The mahowt, though old, was active and +strong. He managed to hold on and sit so far back on the elephant's +hind quarters as to be just out of reach. Luckily the brute did not +think of shaking him off. + +"Had he attempted that, he would soon have succeeded. The poor man +would have fallen to the ground and been killed. Finding that he could +not accomplish his purpose, the infuriated animal rushed towards the +camp, where the khedda or hunting elephants were, and where, as I have +said, our Director had pitched his tent. My own tent was close beside +his. + +"The first I heard of what was going on was from Quin, who came running +into my tent, where I was sitting quietly at the time, cleaning my +rifle. Quin's eyes were starting out of his head, and there was, I +assure you, nothing of the pleasant smile that rests on his face at this +moment! + +"`Och, sor!' gasped Quin, `Bowla Muk--no--Mowla Buksh--has gone mad +entoirely!' + +"I jumped up quickly, you may believe, for I didn't often see _that_ +look on Quin's face, and when I did, I knew well that something very +serious was in the wind. + +"`Where away is he?' I asked. + +"`Sorrow wan o' me knows, sor,' said Quin. + +"Rushing out with no very fixed purpose in view, I soon found that the +shouting in the camp was a sufficient guide to the spot where the +mischief was going on. In a few minutes I came on a cordon of +musketeers who had been hastily drawn up, so as to prevent Mowla Buksh +from getting at the other elephants, for if he had succeeded in doing +so, he would certainly have gone knocking about the smaller ones, +perhaps maiming them, and killing every man who might chance to come in +his path. On the other hand, if the musketeers managed to turn him, +there was the danger of his making for the main camp, and killing every +one he could lay hold of in that direction. + +"Of course the thought of turning out the big fighting elephants to +master him occurred to every one; but even here there would be risk, for +these gladiators would not rest content without knocking Mowla Buksh off +his legs, in which case the mahowt would assuredly be killed. Besides, +our Director chanced to be in the forest at the time, and no one else +seemed ready to take the responsibility of ordering them out. + +"When I came up to the musketeers, I saw the elephant rushing wildly +about, trying to find a way through them, with the old mahowt sticking +to his back like a burr. + +"The Bulrampore men shouted to him to try and get the elephant to go to +his standing-place, saying that if he could persuade him to sit down +they would tie his legs up. After the brute had exhausted itself +somewhat by rushing about, the mahowt did succeed in recovering control +so far as to persuade him to move to his standing-place, which was not +far distant, and to our great relief he sat down in the usual way. The +Bulrampore men were as good as their word. Smart hands every one, they +ran up with ropes and commenced tying up his hind legs. Being experts +at the work, they manipulated the thick ropes with amazing rapidity, and +had the panting animal almost secured when he partially recovered, and +began to understand what was being done to him. He started up +indignantly, just before the knots were properly fastened, and struck +out right and left with his trunk, scattering the men in all directions. + +"Although the ropes had not been quite secured, they were sufficiently +fast to impede his movements. He therefore took to venting his rage on +the surrounding trees, and, really, until that day, I had not realised +the prodigious strength of this king of beasts. He knocked and smashed +them down right and left with the greatest possible ease, although, I do +assure you, some of them were fully eight inches in diameter. All this +time the old mahowt was clinging to his back, not daring to slip off. + +"The men now began to lay large rope-nooses about here and there, in the +hope that he would accidentally put a foot into one of them. But Mowla +Buksh was much too knowing to be caught in this way. Whenever he came +across one of these nooses, he took it up with his trunk and tossed it +contemptuously aside. Gradually he worked his way up to a cluster of +trees, near the tent in which our Director's wife had been seated all +the time--with what feelings I will not pretend to guess. In this +cluster he spent two hours, smashing down trees all the time, and +occasionally, by way of variety, trying to lay hold of the poor mahowt, +who was gradually becoming exhausted through terror and the exertion of +holding on. + +"Strange to say, now and then the man appeared to regain control over +the beast, though only for a few seconds. During one of these intervals +he even succeeded in making Mowla Buksh partially sit down. + +"`Och! now or niver! Off wid ye!' yelled a splitting voice close to my +ear! I need not tell you whose voice that was, or that its owner was +skipping about like a gorilla, almost as mad as the elephant!" + +"Ah! sor," interrupted Quin, "don't ye remimber how yourself was--but +I'll have mercy on ye! Go on, sor." + +"Well, I confess," resumed Jackman, "that I was a little excited. +However, the Bulrampore men echoed Quin's advice in eagerly expressed +Hindustani. The mahowt took it, slipped to the ground, and ran for his +life! Fortunately the excited Mowla either did not perceive or did not +care. He rose up and recommenced his work of destruction. + +"All this time he had been freeing himself from the ropes, with which he +was imperfectly bound. At last he detached them entirely, and began to +make furious rushes in every direction. + +"At that critical moment our Director arrived on the scene. Seeing how +matters stood he at once gave orders to have the fighting elephants +brought to the front, as the only chance that remained to bring the +mischief to an end. The orders were gladly and promptly obeyed. + +"Before they arrived, however, Mowla Buksh, in one of his rushes, came +straight to where Quin and I were standing--" + +"Skippin', sor, ye said." + +"Well, skipping. But we stopped skipping at once, and took to running +as hard as we could. We both ran through some soft reedy ground, where +the brute overtook us. I glanced over my shoulder and saw him knock +Quin into the rushes and set his enormous foot on him--" + +"Oh! was he killed?" exclaimed Junkie with a look of consternation at +the now heroic Quin! + +There was a general burst of laughter, in which Junkie joined, for he +saw the absurdity of the question, which sudden anxiety had forced from +him. + +"But why wasn't you killed?" he asked almost indignantly. + +"Whisht! honey, an' ye'll hear, av ye'll howld your tongue." + +"You must know," continued Jackman, "that the place he had tumbled into +was wet, soft ground, and Quin has a sharp way of looking after his +life! Although half stunned he rolled to one side, so that only the +side of the great foot came down on his shoulder and thrust him deep +into the mud. I stopped at once with a feeling of horror, but without +the slightest conception of what I meant to do, and the horror was +deepened as I saw the monster turn with the evident intention of +completing his work. + +"At that terrible moment the colossal forms of Raj Mungul, Isri Pershad, +and the mighty Chand Moorut appeared, coming towards us. Mowla Buksh +did not carry out his deadly intentions. There was `method in his +madness.' Seeing the koonkies approach, he retreated at once to the +shelter of the cluster of trees, and waited. + +"I rushed forward, expecting to find my man dead and flattened, but he +rose slowly as I came up, and with an indescribable expression of +countenance said, `Arrah! then, but he _was_ heavy!'" + +"An' _that_ must have been true--what-ever" said McGregor, unable to +restrain a comment at this point. + +"What you remark is true likewise, Shames," said the skipper. + +"Go on--quick!" cried Junkie, eagerly. + +"Well, our Director gave orders, to take Raj Mungul to the south side of +the clump of trees, Isri Pershad to the west, and Chand Moorut to the +east. It was impossible to let the last go in, though he was impatient +to do so, for by that time it was getting dark, and his mahowt would +have probably been swept off his back by the branches; and the risk of +such a gladiator being let loose without a controlling hand was not to +be thought of for a moment. + +"The difficulty was got over by means of a ruse. Two men were sent to +the north side of the clump with orders to talk and attract the +attention of Mowla. The plan succeeded. The moment the still fuming +brute heard their voices, he went at them furiously! Now was the chance +for the heroic Chand Moorut; and that warrior was never known to let an +opportunity slip. No British bull-dog ever gave or accepted a challenge +with more hilarious alacrity than he. As soon as Mowla came out of the +trees, Chand Moorut went at him with a rush that seemed incredible in +such a mountain of usually slow and dignified flesh. But darkness, +coupled perhaps with haste, interfered. He missed his mark, and Mowla +Buksh, turning round, dashed straight at the tent, in front of which our +Director and a friend were standing. The friend, who was a V.C. as well +as a cool and intrepid sportsman, directed the light of a lantern full +on the monster's face till it was close upon him, thus enabling the +Director to plant a bullet in his head. Whether the shot gave him a +headache or not, I cannot tell. The only certain effect it had was to +turn the animal aside, and cause it to rush off in the direction of the +main camp, closely followed by Isri Pershad and Raj Mungul. Chand +Moorut was held back in reserve. Happily Raj Mungul managed to outstrip +and turn the runaway, and as Mowla Buksh came back, Chand Moorut got +another chance at him. Need I say that he took advantage of it? +Charging in like a live locomotive, he sent the mad creature flying--as +if it had been a mere kitten--head over heels into a small hollow!" + +"Well done! Capital!" shouted Junkie, at this point unable to restrain +himself, as, with glittering eyes, he glanced round the circle of +listeners. + +A laugh at his enthusiasm seemed to Junkie to endorse his sentiment, so +he turned to Jackman and earnestly bade him to "go on." + +"There is not much to go on with now, my boy," continued the narrator; +"for Mowla Buksh being down, the fighting elephants took good care to +punish him well before they let him up again. But as the encounter had +aroused the combative propensities of Chand Moorut, it was thought wise +to remove him from the scene before he became too excited. This being +managed by his mahowt, the punishing of the rebel was left to Isri +Pershad and Raj Mungul, who did their work thoroughly. No sooner did +the culprit scramble out of the hollow than Isri Pershad knocked him +back into it, and pummelled him heartily with trunk and legs. Again +Mowla Buksh rose, and this time Raj Mungul gave him a tap on the +forehead with his own ponderous head, which sent him into a bed of giant +rushes, over the top of which his little tail was seen to wriggle +viciously as he disappeared with a crash. + +"There he would probably have been content to lie still for a time, but +his opponents had other views in regard to him. They went at him +together, and so cuffed, kicked, bumped and pummelled him, that in about +five minutes he was reduced to a pitiable state of humiliation. As Quin +truly remarked at the time, his own mother would have failed to +recognise him. + +"Just at this point, to my surprise, the old mahowt came forward, with +tears in his eyes, and begged that his elephant might be spared! It had +been punished quite sufficiently, he thought. I was much impressed with +this display of a tender, forgiving spirit towards a brute that had done +its very best to take his own life. But no one sympathised with him at +the moment, and the punishment was continued until Mowla Buksh was +thoroughly subdued, and compelled by his conquerors to return to his +standing-place, where he was finally and firmly secured. Thus, at last, +ended this exciting and most unexpected commencement to our hunt, and +the whole camp was soon after steeped in silence and repose. Not a bad +beginning, eh, Junkie?" + +"Yes, but go on wi' the hunt," said the boy with eager promptitude, a +request which was loudly echoed by his brothers. + +"No, no, boys; you've had enough to digest for one day; besides, I see +the cart coming up the road to fetch our deer. And perhaps your father +has more work cut out for us." + +"Well, not much," replied the laird, who had been quite as much +interested in the elephant story as his sons. "There is another drive +on the east side of the hill, which we have still time for, though I +don't expect much from it. However, we can try it. Come now, lads, +we'll be going." + +"Shames," said Captain McPherson, as the party moved away from the +lunching-ground, "I wonder if a good thrashin' like that would make the +elephant a better beast afterwards?" + +"Weel now, Captain Mcphairson, I don't think it would," replied McGregor +after a pause for consideration. + +"You are right, Shames," said Ian Anderson, the old fisherman, who was a +deep-thinking man. "It has always appeared to me, that the object of +poonishment, is a not to make us coot, but to make us obedient." + +"Then what for are ye always poonishin' me, an' tellin' me to be coot, +when ye say it won't make me coot?" asked Donald. + +"Because, Tonal', it iss my duty to _tell_ ye to be coot, although I +cannot _make_ ye coot, ye rascal!" answered the fisherman, sternly; "but +I can make ye obey me by poonishin' you--ay, an' I wull do it too." + +Donald knew too well from experience that it was not safe to attempt +arguing the question, but he gave a peculiarly defiant shake of his +ragged head, which said as plainly as words that the time was coming +when "poonishment" would cease to secure even obedience--at least in his +case! + +"You are right, Ian," said Jackman, turning round, for he had overheard +the conversation. "Punishment compelled Mowla Buksh to walk to his +standing-place and submit to be tied up, for he did not dare to disobey +with Isri Pershad and Raj Mungul standing guard over him, but it +certainly did not make him good. I went, with many others, to see him +the next morning. On the way over to the elephant camp, I saw the huge +trees which he had smashed down in his rage lying about in all +directions, and on reaching his standing-place, found him looking +decidedly vicious and bad-tempered. It was quite evident that any one +venturing within reach of his trunk would receive harsh treatment and no +mercy. A small red spot in his great forehead showed that our +Director's aim had been a fairly good one, though it had not hit the +deadly spot in the centre." + +"But I want to know," said Junkie, who kept close to Jackman's side, +thirsting for every word that fell from his lips, "why did the bullet +not go in and kill Bowly Muksh?" + +"Because the head of Mowla Buksh was too thick," said Jackman, laughing. +"You see, to be a thick-head is not always a disadvantage." + +"There, you ought to take comfort from that, Junkie," remarked his +brother Archie, with that fine spirit of tenderness which is so often +observable in brothers. + +"Ha! ha! ha!" yelled Eddie, with that delicacy of feeling which is +equally common. + +"Hold your tongues!" growled Junkie--the more classic "shut up" not +having at that time found its way to the Western Isles. + +"You must know, Junkie, that all parts of an elephant's head are not of +equal thickness," said Jackman in that kindly confidential tone which +tends so powerfully to soothe a ruffled spirit. "The only point in an +elephant's forehead that can be pierced by a rifle ball is exactly in +the centre. It is about the size of a saucer, and if you miss that, you +might as well fire against the Eagle Cliff itself, for the ball would +only stick in the skull." + +With this explanation Junkie was fain to rest content at the time, for +the party had reached a part of the hill where it became necessary to +station the guns at their several posts. In regard to this drive, we +have only to say that it ended in nothing except heavy rain and a severe +draft on the patience of the sportsmen, without any reward, save that +which may be derived from mild martyrdom. + +Now, when the events which we have described were taking place on the +mountains of Loch Lossie, a very different scene was occurring in the +nursery of Kinlossie House. In that interesting apartment, which was +one of the chief country residences of the spirits Row and Smash, little +Flora was seated all alone in the afternoon of that day. Her seat was a +low chair, before her was a low table to match. On the table sat her +favourite doll, Blackie, to whom she was administering counsel of the +gravest kind, in tones the most solemn. The counsel, we need scarcely +say, gave unquestionable proof that her mother's admonitions to herself +had been thoroughly understood, though not always acted on. Flo was in +the midst of one of her most pathetic appeals to Blackie to be "dood," +when her mother entered hastily. + +"Come with me, darling, to visit poor old Mrs Donaldson. She is not +very well, I hear." + +Flo required no second bidding, for she was extremely fond of the +keeper's mother--and love needs no persuasion. + +As we have said, Mrs Donaldson's little cottage stood behind that of +her son Ivor. It was very small, consisting of only one apartment with +a box bed and a few articles of old furniture, the most cherished of +which was a little clock with a staring face, and a poor landscape on +it. + +"What caused the bruise, Maggie?" asked Mrs Gordon, after much talk on +the subject of fomentations and bandages. The old woman hesitated to +tell, but after a little pressing she said, in half apologetic +tone,--"Weel, mem, it was na Ivor's fau't, but the day before yesterday +he cam in--fou--ye ken he's fond o' his glass, mem, an' he was swingin' +aboot his airms, poor falla, an' withoot the least intention, his haund +cam doon wi' sik a ding on my heed that knockit me doon. But he kens na +aboot it, so ye'll no speak o't to him--or to the laird." + +"You may depend upon it, poor Maggie, that I will not. My mentioning it +could do no good. And, as you say, Ivor was not quite himself at the +time." + +"Thank'ee, mem, that's just it. An' he's the best sons to me--_whan +he's sober_." + +Soon afterwards a shout outside told that the sportsmen had returned +from the hills, so, bidding the old woman good-bye, Mrs Gordon and her +sympathetic child returned to the house. + + + +CHAPTER NINE. + +A QUIET DAY WITH A STIRRING TERMINATION. + +What fisher does not know the charm, the calm delight, of a quiet day by +the river-side, after, it may be, months of too much contact with +society? On such an occasion a congenial comrade is an advantage, but +unless the comrade be congenial, one is better alone. + +This may sound selfish to some ears, but is it really so? When a man +has all but immolated himself for ten or eleven months, it may be, on +the altar of business, art, and social duty, is a tremendous thirst for +Nature and solitude altogether selfish? We think not. And evidently +MacRummle thought not, as he wandered one soft, delightful morning, rod +in hand, down to the river-side. + +The river-side! There is something restfully suggestive in the very +words. The quiet pools, the gurgling deeps, the rushing rapids, the +rippling shallows, the little cascades--what ardent hopes, what wild +suggestions, what grand possibilities these have for the young; what +gentle excitations, what pleasant, even though sad, memories for the +old! + +Of course the non-fisher knows nothing of all this. His terrestrial +joys are limited, poor thing! The painter, indeed, has some part in the +matter--as regards his own line, so to speak--and when he goes on what +is vulgarly termed his own hook. We have profound sympathy with the +painter. But for the poor fellow who neither fishes nor paints, alas! +To be sure he may botanise. Strange to say, we had almost forgotten +that! and also geologise; but our concern at present is with fishers, +or, rather, with that fishing enthusiast, MacRummle. + +The sunshine of his face was second only to that of Nature. His visage +beamed with satisfaction; his eyes gleamed with hope, as he sat down on +the bank near to his first pool, and began to select flies. + +We have probably given the impression that MacRummle was alone, but this +is not strictly correct. In his own estimation he was, indeed, in +absolute solitude, and, so far, his felicity was unbroken; but his steps +had been dogged that morning, and the dogger was Junkie. + +That eccentric youngster possessed a mind which it is not easy to +analyse or describe. One strong element in it, however, was curiosity. +Another was ambition. The blending of these two qualities produced +wonder in Junkie--wonder that he, though as ardent a sportsman as +MacRummle, should go forth frequently to fish and catch little or +nothing, while the old gentleman went out and was wont to return with +baskets full to overflowing. There must be a secret of some sort. He +did not like to ask what that secret was, so he made up his mind to +follow the old man and watch him--not of course with the slightest +intention of doing anything sly or wrong, but secretly, because he was +well aware that MacRummle did not like to be distracted by company-- +especially _his_ company! + +Following, then, at a respectful distance, and relying for success very +much on the fisher's partial blindness and deafness, Junkie went out to +have a day of it. He even went so far, in the matter of forethought, as +to provide himself with a massive slice of bread and cheese to sustain +him while carrying on his investigations. + +Before he had got far from the house, however, he encountered Donald of +the ragged head, who had hung about the place in hopes of another +deer-drive, and whom he styled "Tonal'," in semi-sarcastic imitation of +old Ian. Him he at once took into his confidence. + +"I'll co wuth ye," said Donald. + +"Come along, then. But mind, if you make a noise, or show yourself; if +you so much as cough or sneeze, I'll punch your head an' tumble you into +the river." + +"Fery coot," said Donald. And upon this clear understanding they +advanced. + +The other members of the company at the house, meanwhile, had scattered +in various directions to fish, shoot, paint or botanise, according to +fancy. + +We may explain here that there were several trouting streams in the +vicinity of the house, besides the "river" at the head of the loch. +Thus it was that MacRummle had a stream all to himself. + +At first the fisher tried fly, to which he was partial, but success did +not attend his efforts. The water was not in the best condition for +fly, being rather swollen by recent rains. Perseverance, however, was +one of MacRummle's strong qualities. He was not to be easily beaten. + +There was a certain big boulder about the size of a dog-cart near the +mouth of the stream, which narrowed its bed considerably, and thus +produced a formation of rock below water favourable to the shelter of +fish. It also sent an oily ripple over the surface of the water, which +was favourable to the operations of the fisher. The old gentleman +seldom failed to raise or hook a good sea-trout there, and always made +his first cast with eager expectation. But the fish were either +obdurate or blind that morning. They could not or they would not see. +With a slight, but by no means desponding, sigh, the old man changed his +cast and tried again. He knew every stone and ledge of the pool, and +cast again and again with consummate skill and unusual care. Still, +without result. + +"That's odd," he muttered, for, being naturally a sociable man, he found +talking to himself an immense relief. "Try once more, just at the tail +o' yon swirl, Dick, my boy." + +His Christian name was Richard. No one would have presumed to call him +Dick but himself. + +No result following this appeal to the tail of the swirl, he sat down on +the bank and once more changed his hook. The nature of change might +have been heard by the insects among the heather close by, if they were +listening, for Donald whispered to his companion,--"He's coin' to try +pait!" + +"Didn't I bid ye hau'd your tongue?" + +"Ay." + +"Do't then." + +MacRummle dropped a worm gently into the head of the pool, and let it go +with the current. Instantly the line straightened, the rod bent, the +reel spun, and from the other side of the pool there leaped a lovely bar +of silver, which fell back to its native element with a considerable +splash. + +"A two-pounder!" gasped Donald, unable to restrain his excitable spirit, +as he half rose. + +Junkie had him by the throat in a moment, and crammed his ragged head +down among the heather. + +"Tonal'!" he whispered remonstratively. + +"I forgot," whispered Donald, when the strong little hands relaxed. +"I'll not do't again." + +"Ye better no'," returned Junkie, with a shake of his fist that required +no explanation. + +By this time the fish had darted like a lightning flash twice up stream, +once down, three times across, and twice into the air. At the same time +the fisher had hurried up and down the bank, had tripped over two stumps +and a root, had dropped his wideawake, and had very nearly gone head +foremost into the pool; for his tackle was fine and his fish large. The +fisher-boy gasped. + +"Tonal'," said Junkie, in very low tones, "if ye don't behave better, +I'll send ye away." + +"It iss not easy, but I'll try," said he. + +Donald could say no more. The best of men or boys could do no more than +try. We may as well say here at once, however, that his efforts at +self-control were crowned with success. He proved himself to be a great +man in embryo by ruling his own spirit that day. + +In a few minutes the trout was landed by means of a miniature gaff, +which the fisher carried in his basket, for the purpose of securing fish +that were too heavy to be pulled out by the line. It was afterwards +found to be a two-and-a-half pounder, which, being an unusually good +fish for that stream, was the occasion of much rejoicing on the part of +the old gentleman, as he stood wiping his forehead and commenting on it. + +"Capital! Not had such a fellow as that for more than a week. There's +more where that came from; but you must give the pool a rest, Dick. Try +the run higher up." + +In obedience to his own orders, MacRummle went up to a part of the +stream where a high cliff on one side and a steepish bank on the other +caused it to flow in a deep channel, not much more than a couple of +yards wide. At the head of the run was a ledge where fish were +invariably captured. Towards this spot the old man hurried eagerly. + +The two boys lay still in the heather, allowed him to pass, and then +softly followed, bending low, and keeping as much as possible behind +bushes and in hollows, until they were again close upon him. Ensconcing +themselves in a convenient mass of heather, they raised their heads and +saw the fisher stepping carefully from rock to rock, as he approached +the run. + +Rounded boulders, large or small, are never safe to walk on, even for +the young and active. MacRummle found it so. His foot slipped, and he +sat down, with undignified haste, in a small pool of water. + +Down went the boys' heads, that they might explode their laughter as +softly as possible among the roots of the heather. + +"Wass it not funny?" whispered Donald. + +"I hope he's not hurt," replied Junkie, raising his head cautiously. + +He saw that MacRummle had risen, and, with a rueful expression of face, +was making insane and futile efforts to look at himself behind. A +beaming smile overspread the boy's face as he glanced at his companion, +for he knew well that the old gentleman cared little or nothing for +water. And this was obviously the case, for, after squeezing as much +water out of his nether garments as chose to come, he proceeded to the +head of the runs and resumed fishing. + +"I'm beginnin' to see through't," murmured Junkie, after watching for +some time. "See! he has hooked another. Ye see, Tonal', it must be +lettin' the hook drift away down under the ledges that does it. Look! +He's got 'im!" + +"I'm thinking ye are right, Junkie. An' the creat thing to know iss +where the ledges lie. He keeps well back from the watter also. There +maun be somethin' in that, what-e-ver. Ye wull be tryin' it yoursel' +the morn, maype." + +To this Junkie vouchsafed no reply, for the fisher, having secured his +fish, was proceeding further up stream. When he was sufficiently far in +advance, the boys rose to their feet, and again followed him. + +Thus the trio occupied themselves all the forenoon--MacRummle gradually +filling his basket with fine sea-trout, Junkie storing his inquisitive +mind with piscatorial knowledge and "dodges," and Donald enjoying +himself in the mere act of wallowing about in heather and sunshine. + +About noon MacRummle suddenly ceased to gaze intently on the water, and +placed his hand upon his waistcoat. + +"Time, Dick?" he murmured, pulling out his watch. "I knew it. Commend +me to nature. It's the best time-keeper, after all--needs no +regulating." + +He was wrong, as was frequently the case, but it mattered little, for +there was no one to contradict him. + +"Let me see," he muttered, taking off his basket, and drawing a +newspaper parcel from the pocket of his coat--in which operation he was +induced by memory to make a last futile attempt to see himself +behind--"what have they put up for me?" + +The parcel, when opened, disclosed a tempting pile of meat sandwiches. +The old gentleman spread them out on a flattish boulder, which served as +an admirable table. + +Having leaned his rod against a tree, he emptied the basket on a grassy +spot, and arranged the silver bars in a row. Then he sat down on his +basket beside the table, and gave himself up to food and contemplation. + +"A goodly row," he muttered, as well as the ham sandwich would let him. +"Not a bad beginning; and such a splendid dish. There's comfort in +that, for I hate useless work of any kind. A sort of an illustration, +this, of the fitness of things!" + +Apparently the peculiar unfitness of simultaneous mastication and speech +struck him, for he paused a few moments, then continued,--"Yes, fitness. +Supplies for the table absolutely needed. Healthy exercise a +consequence. Result, felicity!" + +The supplies checking speech again, MacRummle looked around him, with +benignant good-will to man and beast expressed on his countenance. + +Craning their necks over a bank, and seeing the old gentleman thus +pleasantly engaged, the two boys sank into the heather, and disappeared +from view as completely as did "Clan Alpine's warriors true," after they +had been shown to Fitz James by Roderick Dhu. Like two sparrows in a +purple nest they proceeded to enjoy themselves. + +"Now, Tonal', we will grub," said Junkie. "Why, what's the matter with +you?" he asked, on observing a sudden fall in his companion's +countenance. + +"The matter?" repeated the boy. "It iss the crub that's the matter, for +I hev not a crumb with me." + +"Now, isn't that awful?" said Junkie, with a hypocritically woeful look. +"We will just have to starve. But there's plenty of water," he added, +in a consoling tone. "Here, Tonal', take this leather cup an' fill it. +Ye can git down to the river by the back o' the bluff without bein' +noticed. See that ye make no noise, now. Mind what I said to ye." + +While Donald went at a slow, sad pace to fetch water, Junkie spread his +handkerchief on the ground, and on this tablecloth laid out the +following articles, which he took from a small bag that he had carried, +slung on his shoulder,--a very large piece of loaf bread, a thick slice +of cheese, two hard biscuits, an apple, a bit of liquorice, a mass of +home-made toffee, inseparably attached to a dirty bit of newspaper, +three peppermint lozenges, and a gully knife with a broken blade. + +When Donald returned and beheld this feast, he opened his eyes wide. +Then, opening his mouth, he was on the point of giving vent to a cheer, +when Junkie stopped him with a glance and an ominous shake of the fist. + +It is to this day an undecided question which of those feasters enjoyed +himself most. + +"I always bring with me more than I can eat, Tonal', so you're welcome +to the half. `Fair play,' as daddy says, although he sometimes keeps +the fairest play to himself;" with which dutiful remark the urchin +proceeded to divide the viands very justly. + +It did not take long to consume the whole. But MacRummle was quicker +even than they, possibly because he had enticing work still before him. +The consequence was, that he had resumed his rod unnoticed by the boys, +and in the process of his amusement, had reached that part of the bank +on the top of which they lay concealed. Their devotion to lunch had +prevented his approach being perceived, and the first intimation they +had of his near presence was the clatter of pebbles as he made a false +step, and the swish of his flies above their heads as he made a cast. + +The boys gazed at each other for one moment in silence, then hastily +stuffed the remnant of their feast into their pockets. + +Suddenly the glengarry bonnet of Junkie leaped mysteriously off his +head, and dropped on the heather behind him. + +"Hanked again!" growled MacRummle from the river-bed below. + +Every fisher knows the difficulty of casting a long line with a steep +bank behind him. Once already the old gentleman had hanked on the bank +a little lower down, but so slightly that a twitch brought the flies +away. Now, however, the hank was too complicated to give way to a +twitch, for the glengarry held hard on to the heather. In desperate +haste, Junkie, bending low, tried to extract the hook. It need scarcely +be said that a hook refuses to be extracted in haste. Before he could +free it, the voice of MacRummle was heard in sighs and gasps of mild +exasperation as he scrambled up the bank to disentangle his line. There +was no time for consideration. Junkie dropped his cap, and, rolling +behind a mass of rock, squeezed himself into a crevice which was pretty +well covered with pendent bracken. Donald vanished in a somewhat +similar fashion, and both, remaining perfectly still, listened with +palpitating hearts to MacRummle's approach. + +"Well, well!" exclaimed the fisher in surprise; "it's not every day I +hook a fish like this. A glengarry! And Junkie's glengarry! The small +rascal! Crumbs, too! ha! that accounts for it. He must have been +having his lunch here yesterday, and was so taken up with victuals that +he forgot his cap when he went away. Foolish boy! It is like his +carelessness; but he's not a bad little fellow, for all that." + +He chuckled audibly at this point. Junkie did the same inaudibly as he +watched his old friend carefully disengage the hook; but the expression +of his face changed a little when he saw his cap consigned to the +fisher's pocket, as he turned and descended to the stream. Having given +the fisher sufficient time to get away from the spot, Junkie emerged +from his hiding-place. + +"Tonal'," he said, in a low voice, looking round, "ye may come oot noo, +man. He's safe away." + +The ragged head, in a broad grin, emerged from a clump of bracken. + +"It wass awful amusin', Junkie, wass it not?" + +"Yes, Tonal', it was; but it won't be very amusin' for me to go all the +rest of the day bareheaded." + +Donald sympathised with his friend on this point, and assured him that +he would have divided his cap with him, as Junkie had divided his lunch, +but for the fact that he never wore a cap at all, and the ragged hair +would neither divide nor come off. After this they resumed their work +of dogging the fisher's steps. + +It would require a volume to relate all that was said and done on that +lovely afternoon, if all were faithfully detailed; but our space and the +reader's patience render it advisable to touch only on two points of +interest. + +As the day advanced the heat became overpowering, and, to escape from +the glare of the sun for a little, the fisher took shelter under some +very tall bracken on the bank near a deep pool. In order to secure a +slight feeling of pleasurable expectation while resting, he put on a +bait-cast, dropped the worm into the deepest part of the pool, propped +up his rod with several stones, and then lay down to watch. The turf +happened to be soft and level. As a natural consequence the tired man +fell sound asleep. + +"What's to be done noo, Junkie?" + +"I don't know, Tonal'." + +To make matters more exasperating, at that moment the rod began to bend +and the reel to spin jerkily. + +"A fush!" exclaimed Donald. + +"Looks like it," returned his friend drily. + +"I better gee a yell an' wauken him," suggested Donald. + +"Ye'd better no'," said Junkie, shaking his fist. + +"Yonder iss the end o' yer bonnet stickin' oot o' his pooch, +what-e-ver," said Donald. + +"You'd better lie low an' keep still," said Junkie; and, without further +explanation of his intentions, he went softly down the bank and crept +towards the sleeper, taking advantage of every stone and root and bush +as he went along. Really, for a first attempt, it was worthy of the +child of a Pawnee brave. + +MacRummle was a heavy sleeper, so Junkie had no difficulty in recovering +his cap. Putting it on, he returned the way he had come. + +"That wass cliver, man," said the admiring Donald, when his friend +rejoined him. + +Junkie accepted the compliment with a dignified smile, and then sat down +to wait; but it was a severe trial of patience to both of them, for the +old man slept steadily on, and even snored. He seemed, in short, to +have fairly gone to bed for the night. + +"What say ye to bomb stanes at 'um?" suggested Donald. + +"An' kill 'im, maybe," returned Junkie, with sarcasm in his eye. + +"Heave divits at 'um, then." + +"Ay; that's better." + +Accordingly, the two urchins tore up a mass of turf which was much too +heavy to heave. + +"Let's row'd," suggested the active-minded Donald. + +As this also met the approval of Junkie, they carried the "divit," or +mass of turf, to the bank just above the sleeper, and, taking a careful +aim, let it go. The bank was not regular. A lump diverted the divit +from its course, and it plunged into the pool, to the obvious +discomposure of the fish, which was still at intervals tugging at the +line. Another divit was tried, but with similar result. A third clod +went still further astray. The bombardment then became exciting, as +every kind of effort does when one begins to realise the beneficial +effect of practice. + +"I can see how it is," whispered Junkie, as he carefully "laid" the next +gun. "If we keep more to the right, it'll hit that lump o' grass, +glance into the hollow, and--" + +He stopped abruptly, and both boys stood in crab-like attitudes of +expectation, ready to fly, for the divit took the exact course thus +indicated, and bounding down the bank, hit MacRummle fair on his broad +back. + +The guilty ones dived like rabbits into the bracken. + +"Bless me!" exclaimed the old gentleman, jumping up and shaking the dry +earth off. "This is most remarkable. I do believe I've been asleep. +But why the bank should take to crumbling down upon me is more than I +can understand. Hallo! A fish! You don't deserve such luck, Dick, my +boy." + +Winding in the line in a way which proved that the divit had done him no +harm, he gave utterance to an exclamation of huge disgust as he drew an +eel to the bank, with the line entangled hopelessly about its shiny +body. This was too much for MacRummle. Unable to face the misery of +disentanglement, he cut the line, despatched the eel, attached a new +hook, and continued his occupation. + +At the head of the pool in question the bank was so precipitous and high +that the boys could see only the top of the rod swinging gracefully to +and fro as the patient man pursued his sport. Suddenly the top of the +rod described a wild figure in the air and disappeared. At the same +moment a heavy plunge was heard. + +"Hech! he's tum'led in the pool," gasped Donald. + +They rushed to the overhanging edge of the cliff and looked down. Sure +enough MacRummle was in the water. They expected to see him swim, for +Junkie knew he was an expert swimmer; but the poor man was floating +quietly down with the current, his head under water. + +"Banged his heed, what-e-ver!" cried Donald, jumping up and bounding +down the bank to the lower and shallow end of the pool. Quick though he +was, Junkie outran him; but the unfortunate MacRummle was +unintentionally quicker than either, for they found him stranded when +they got there. + +Running into the water, they seized him by the hair and the collar of +his coat, and dragged him into the shallow part easily enough, but they +had not strength to haul him ashore. + +"Fetch a divit, Tonal'--a big one, an' I'll keep up his head." + +One of the masses of recent artillery was fetched, and the fisher's head +was gently pillowed on it, so as to be well out of the water. + +"There's no cut that I can see," said Junkie, inspecting the head +critically; "he's only stunned, I think. Noo, Tonal', cut away to the +hoose. Run as ye never ran before and tell them. I'll stop beside him +for fear his heed slips in again." + +Donald went off like a shot. Junkie went a few steps with him, +intending to fetch another divit. Looking back, he saw what made him +sink into the heather, and give a low whistle. Donald heard it, +stopped, and also hid himself, for MacRummle was seen trying to rise. +He succeeded, and staggered to dry land, when, sitting down on a stone, +he felt himself all over with an anxious expression. Then he felt a +lump on the back of his head, and smiled intelligently. After that he +squeezed as much water out of his garments as he could, quietly took +down his rod, ascertained that the fish in his basket were all right, +then looked with some perplexity at the big divit lying in the shallow +close to where he stood, and finally, with a highly contented expression +of countenance, wended his way homeward. + +The two boys gave him time to get well out of sight in advance, and then +followed his example, commenting sagely as they went, on the +desirability of possessing pluck in old age, and on the value of the +various lessons they had learned that day. + + + +CHAPTER TEN. + +A WILDISH CHAPTER. + +It was the habit of our three friends--Bob Mabberly, John Barret, and +Giles Jackman--during their residence at Kinlossie, to take a stroll +together every morning before breakfast by the margin of the sea, for +they were fond of each other's company, and Mabberly, as a yachtsman, +had acquired the habit of early rising. He had also learned to +appreciate the early morning hours as being those which present Nature +in her sweetest, as well as her freshest, aspect--when everything seems, +more than at other periods of the day, to be under the direct influence +of a benignant Creator. + +It was also the habit of Captain McPherson and his man, James McGregor, +to indulge daily in similar exercise at about the same hour, but, owing +probably to their lives having been spent chiefly on the sea, they were +wont to ramble up a neighbouring glen in preference to sauntering on the +shore. + +One bright calm morning, however, when the sky was all blue and the loch +was like a mirror, the two seamen took it into their heads to desert the +glen and ramble along the shore. Thus it came to pass that, on +returning homeward, they encountered our three friends. + +"It iss fery strange that we should foregather this mornin', Mr +Mabberly," said the skipper, after greeting the young men; "for Shames +an' me was jist speakin' aboot ye. We will be thinkin' that it iss +foolishness for hum an' me to be stoppin' here wastin' our time when we +ought to be at oor work." + +"Nonsense, Captain," said Mabberly; "surely you don't think that taking +a holiday in a pleasant place like this is wasting time. Besides, I +don't consider you free from your engagement to me. You were hired for +the trip, and that includes land as well as water, so I won't give you +your discharge till you have had a long rest, and recruited yourselves +after the shock to your nervous systems occasioned by the wreck and the +swim to shore!" + +A grim smile played on the skipper's iron features when reference was +made to his nerves, and a flicker of some sort illumined the wooden +visage of McGregor. + +"You are fery kind, sir," returned the skipper; "but we don't like to be +receivin' pay for doin' nothin'. You see, neither Shames nor me cares +much for fushin' in the burns, or goin' after the deer, an' there's no +chance o' raisin' the yat from the pottom o' the sea, so, if you hev no +objection, sir, we will be goin' by the steamer that arrives to-morrow. +I thought I would speak to you to-day, for we will hev to start early in +the mornin', before you're up, for it iss a long way we'll hev to go. +Iss it not so, Shames?" + +"Oo, ay," replied the seaman, with more than ever of the nasal twang; +"it iss a coot many miles to where the poat comes in--so the poy Tonal' +wass tellin' me, what-e-ver." + +Mabberly tried to persuade the men to remain a little longer, but they +were obdurate, so he let them go, knowing well that his father, who was +a wealthy merchant and shipowner, would see to the interests of the men +who had suffered in his son's service. + +As they retraced their steps to the house the skipper gave Giles Jackman +some significant glances, which induced him to fall behind the others. + +"You want to speak with me privately, I think, skipper?" + +"Yes, sir, I do," replied the seaman, with some embarrassment. "But it +iss not fery easy nor pleesant to do so. A man does not like to speak +of another man's failin's, you see, but as I am goin' away I'm obleeged +to do it. You will hev noticed, sir, that Ivor Tonalson iss raither +fond of his tram?" + +"I'm afraid that I have observed that--poor fellow." + +"He is a goot man, sir, is Tonalson--a fery goot man--when he iss sober, +but he hes got no power to resist the tram. An' whiles he goes on the +spree, an' then he gits wild wi' D.T. you know, sir. Noo, ever since we +cam' here, Ivor an' me hes been great friends, an' it hes been heavy on +my mind to see him like that, for he's a fine man, a superior person, is +Ivor, if he would only let alone the whusky. So I hev spoken to him +wance or twice--serious like, you know. At first he was not pleased, +but the last time I spoke, he took it kindly, an' said he would think +aboot what I had been sayin'. Noo, it's heavy on me the thoucht o' +goin' away an' leavin' him in that state, so I thoucht that maybe ye +would tak the metter up, sir, an' see what ye can do wi' him. Git him, +if ye can, to become a total abstainer, nothin' less than that wull do +wi' a man in that condeetion." + +Jackman was greatly surprised, not only at the tenor of the skipper's +remarks, but at the evidently deep feeling with which he spoke, for up +to that time the reticence and quiet coolness of the man had inclined +him to think that his mind and feelings were in harmony with his rugged +and sluggish exterior. It was, therefore, with something of warmth that +he replied,--"I shall be only too happy to do as you wish, Captain; all +the more that I have had some serious thoughts and feelings in that +direction. Indeed, I have made up my mind, as it happens, to speak to +Ivor on that very subject, not knowing that you were already in the +field. I am particularly sorry for his poor old mother, who has +suffered a great deal, both mentally and physically, on his account." + +"Ay, that's the warst o' it," said the skipper. "It wass the sicht o' +the poor wumin ailin' in body an' broken heartit that first set me at +Ivor." + +"But how comes it, Captain, that you plead so earnestly for _total_ +abstinence?" asked Jackman with a smile. "Have I not heard you defend +the idea of moderate drinking, although you consented to sail in a +teetotal yacht?" + +"Mr Jackman," said the skipper, with almost stern solemnity, "it iss +all fery weel for men to speak aboot moderate drinkin', when their +feelin's iss easy an' their intellec's iss confused wi' theories an' +fancies, but men will change their tune when it iss brought home to +themselves. Let a man only see his brither or his mither, or his +faither, on the high road to destruction wi' drink, an' he'll change his +opeenion aboot moderate drinkin'--at least for hard drinkers--ay, an' +he'll change his practice too, unless he iss ower auld, or his stamick, +like Timothy's, canna git on withoot it. An' that minds me that I would +tak it kind if ye would write an' tell me how he gets on, for I hev +promised to become a total abstainer if _he_ wull." + +That very afternoon, while out shooting on the hills, Jackman opened the +campaign by making some delicate approaches to the keeper on the +subject, in a general and indirect way, but with what success he could +not tell, for Ivor was respectfully reserved. + +About the same time John Barret went off alone for a saunter in one of +the nearest and most picturesque of the neighbouring glens. He had +declined to accompany his comrades that day, for reasons best known to +himself. After writing a few letters, to keep up appearances, and to +prevent his being regarded as a mere idler, he went off, as we have +said, to saunter in the glen. + +He had not sauntered far when he came upon a sight which is calculated, +whenever seen, to arouse sentiments of interest in the most callous +beholder--a young lady painting! It would be wrong to say he was +surprised, but he was decidedly pleased, to judge from the expression of +his handsome face. He knew who the lady was, for by that time he had +studied the face and figure of Milly Moss until they had been indelibly +photographed on his--well, on the sensitive-plate of his soul, wherever +that lay. + +Milly had quite recovered from her accident by that time and had resumed +her favourite pursuits. + +"I'm very glad to have caught you at work at last, Miss Moss," he said, +on coming up to the picturesque spot on which her easel was erected. "I +wish much to receive that lesson which you so kindly promised to give +me." + +"I thought it was just the other way. Did you not say that you would +teach me some of those perplexing rules of perspective which my book +lays down so elaborately--and, to me, so incomprehensibly?" + +"I did, but did not you promise to show me how to manipulate oils--in +regard to which I know absolutely nothing? And as practice is of +greater importance than theory, you must be the teacher and I the +pupil." + +Upon this point they carried on a discussion until Milly, declaring she +was wasting her time and losing the effects of light and shade, went +seriously to work on the canvas before her. Barret, whose natural +colour was somewhat heightened, stood at a respectful distance, looking +on. + +"You are quite sure, I hope," said the youth, "that it does not disturb +you to be overlooked? You know I would not presume to do so if you had +not promised to permit me. My great desire, for many a day, has been to +observe the process of painting in oils by one who understands it." + +How he reconciled this statement with the fact that he was not looking +at the picture at all, but at the little white hand that was deftly +applying the brush, and the beautiful little head that was moving itself +so gracefully about while contemplating the work, is more than we can +explain. + +Soon the painter became still more deeply absorbed in her work, and the +pupil more deeply still in the painter. It was a magnificent sweep of +landscape that lay before them--a glen glowing with purple and green, +alive with flickering sunlight and shadow, with richest browns and reds +and coolest greys in the foreground; precipices, crags, verdant slopes +of bracken, pine and birch woods hanging on the hillsides, in the middle +distance, and blue mountains mingling with orange skies in the +background, with MacRummle's favourite stream appearing here and there +like a silver thread, running through it all. But Barret saw nothing of +it. He only saw a pretty hand, a blushing cheek and sunny hair! + +The picture was not bad. There was a good deal of crude colour in the +foreground, no doubt, without much indication of form; and there was +also some wonderfully vivid green and purple, with impossible forms and +amazing perspective--both linear and aerial--in places, and Turneresque +confusion of yellow in the extreme distance. But Barret did not note +that--though by means of some occult powers of comprehension he +commented on it freely! He saw nothing but Milly Moss. + +It was a glorious chance. He resolved to make the most of it. + +"I had no idea that painting in oils was such a fascinating occupation," +he remarked, without feeling quite sure of what he said. + +"I delight in it," returned the painter, slowly, as she touched in a +distant sheep, which--measured by the rules of perspective, and regard +being had to surrounding objects--might have stood for an average +cathedral. + +Milly did not paint as freely as usual that afternoon. There was +something queer, she said, about the brushes. "I _can't_ get it to look +right," she said at last, wiping out an object for the third time and +trying again. + +"No doubt," murmured the youth, "a cottage like that must be difficult +to--" + +"Cottage!" exclaimed Milly, laughing outright; "it is not a cottage at +all; it's a cow! Oh! Mr Barret, that is a very poor compliment to my +work and to your own powers of discernment." + +"Nay, Miss Moss," retorted the pupil, in some confusion, "but you have +wiped it out twice, confessing, as you did so, that you could not paint +it! Besides, my remark referred to the cottage which I _thought_ you +were going to paint--not to your unsuccessful representations of the +cow." + +The poor youth felt that his explanation was so lame that he was +somewhat relieved when the current of their thoughts was diverted by a +loud shouting in the road farther down the glen. A shade of annoyance, +however, rested for a moment on the face of his companion, for she +recognised the voices, and knew well that the quiet _tete-a-tete_ with +her willing and intelligent pupil must now be interrupted. + +"My cousins," she remarked, putting a touch on the cow that stamped that +animal a _lusus naturae_ for all time coming. + +Another whoop told that the cousins were drawing near. In a few minutes +they appeared in the path emerging from a clump of hazel bushes. + +"They are evidently bent on a photographic expedition," remarked Barret, +as the boys approached, Junkie waving his hat with hilarious good-will +when he discovered the painters. + +"And Flo is with them," said Milly, "from which I conclude that they are +having what Junkie calls a day of it; for whenever they are allowed to +take Flo, they go in for a high holiday, carrying provisions with them, +so as to be able to stay out from morning till night." + +The appearance of the young revellers fully bore out Milly's statement, +for they were all more or less burdened with the means or signs of +enjoyment. Archie carried his box of dry plates in his left hand, and +his camera and stand over his right shoulder; Eddie bore a colour-box +and sketching-book; Junkie wielded a small fishing-rod, and had a +fishing-basket on his back; and Flo was encircled with daisy chains and +crowned with laurel and heather, besides which, each of the boys had a +small bag of provisions slung on his shoulder. + + "Hooray! hooray! + Out for the day!" + +sang, or rather yelled, Junkie, as he approached. + + "Ramble and roam-- + Never go home!" + +added Archie, setting down his camera, and beginning to arrange it. + + "All of us must + Eat till we bust! + +"Junkie teached me zat," said innocent Flo, with a look of grave +surprise at the peals of laughter which her couplet drew from her +brothers. + +"Yes, that's what we're goin' to do," said Junkie; "we've had lunch at +the foot of Eagle Glen, and noo we are going up to Glen Orrack to dine, +and fish, an' paint, an' botanise. After that we'll cross over the +Swan's Neck, an' finish off the bustin' business with supper on the +sea-shore. Lots of grub left yet, you see." + +He swung round his little wallet as he spoke, and held it up to view. + +"Would you like some, Cousin Milly?" asked Eddie, opening his bag. "All +sorts here. Bread, cheese, ginger snaps, biscuits, jam--Oh! I say, the +jam-pot's broken! Whatever shall we do?" + +He dipped his fingers into his wallet as he spoke, and brought them out +magenta! + +Their hilarity was dissipated suddenly, and grave looks were bestowed on +Eddie's digits, until Flo's little voice arose like a strain of sweet +music to dissipate the clouds. + +"Oh! never mind," she said; "I's got anuzzer pot in my bag." + +This had been forgotten. The fact was verified by swift examination, +and felicity was restored. + +"What are you going to photograph?" asked Milly, seeing that Archie was +busy making arrangements. + +"_You_, Cousin Milly. You've no notion what a splendid couple you and +Mr Barret look--stuck up so picturesquely on that little mound, with +its rich foreground of bracken, and the grey rock beside you, and the +peep through the bushes, with Big Ben for a background; and the easel, +too--so suggestive! There, now, I'm ready. By the way, I might take +you as a pair of lovers!" + +Poor Milly became scarlet, and suddenly devoted herself to the _lusus +naturae_! Barret took refuge in a loud laugh, and then said: + +"Really, one would suppose that you were a professional, Archie; you +order your sitters about with such self-satisfied presumption." + +"Yes, they always do that," said Milly, recovering herself, and looking +calmly up from the cow--which now resembled a megatherium--"but you must +remember, Cousin Archie, that I am a _painter_, and therefore understand +about attitudes, and all that, much better than a mere photographer. +So, if I condescend to sit, you must take your orders from _me_!" + +"Fire away then with your orders," cried the impatient amateur. + +"See, sir, I will sit thus--as if painting," said Milly, who was +desperately anxious to have it over, lest Archie should make some +awkward proposition. "Mr Barret will stand behind me, looking +earnestly at the picture--" + +"Admiringly," interposed Barret. + +"Not so--earnestly, as if getting a lesson," said Milly, with a +teacher's severity; "and Flo will sit thus, at my feet, taking care +(hold it, dear,) of my palette." + +"More likely to make a mess of it," said Junkie. + +"Now, are you ready? Steady! Don't budge a finger," cried Archie, +removing the little leather cap. + +In her uncertainty as to which of her fingers she was not to budge, Flo +nervously moved them all. + +"You're movin', Flo!" whispered Junkie. + +"No, I'm not," said Flo, looking round indignantly. + +"There, I knew you couldn't hold your tongue, Junkie," cried the +photographer, hastily replacing the cap. "However, I think I had it +done before she moved." + +"And look--you've got the nigger in!" cried Junkie, snatching up the +black doll, which had been lying unobserved on its owner's knee all the +time. + +"Never mind, that'll do no harm. Now, then, soldiers, form up, an' +quick march," said Archie, closing up his apparatus. "We have got +plenty of work before us, and no time to waste." + +Obedient to this rather inaccurately given word of command, Archie's +troops fell into line, and, with a whooping farewell, continued their +march up the glen. + +During the remainder of that beautiful afternoon, the artist and pupil +continued at their "fascinating" work. Shall we take advantage of our +knowledge to lift the curtain, and tell in detail how Milly introduced a +few more megatheriums into her painting, and violated nearly all the +rules of perspective, to say nothing of colour and chiaro-oscuro? Shall +we reveal the multitude of absurd remarks made by the pupil, in his wild +attempts at criticism of an art, about which he knew next to nothing? +No; it would be unwarrantable--base! Merely remarking that painter and +pupil were exceedingly happy, and that they made no advance whatever in +the art of painting, we turn to another scene in the neighbourhood of +Kinlossie House. + +It was a wide grass-field from which the haycocks had recently been +removed, leaving it bare and uninteresting. Nevertheless, there were +two points of interest in that field which merit special attention. One +was a small black bull, with magnificent horns, the shaggiest of coats, +and the wickedest of eyes. The other was our friend MacRummle, taking a +short cut through the field, with a basket on his back, a rod in one +hand, and an umbrella in the other. + +We may at once account for the strange presence of the latter article, +by explaining that, on the day before--which was rainy--the laird, had +with an umbrella, accompanied his friend to his first pool in the river, +at which point their roads diverged; that he had stayed to see MacRummle +make his first two or three casts, during which time the sky cleared, +inducing the laird to close his umbrella, and lean it against the bank, +after which he went away and forgot it. Returning home the next day our +angler found and took charge of it. + +That he had been successful that day was made plain, not only by the +extra stoop forward, which was rendered necessary by the weight of his +basket, and the beaming satisfaction on his face, but by the protruding +tail of a grilse which was too large to find room for the whole of +itself, inside. + +"You're a lucky man to-day, Dick," murmured the enthusiastic angler to +himself, as he jogged across the field. + +Had he known what was in store for him, however, he would have arrived +at a very different estimate of his fortunes! + +The field, as we have said, was a large one. MacRummle had reached the +centre of it when the black bull, standing beside the wall at its most +distant corner, seemed to feel resentment at this trespass on its +domain. + +It suddenly bellowed in that low thunderous tone which is so awfully +suggestive of conscious power. MacRummle stopped short. He was +naturally a brave man, nevertheless his heart gave his ribs an unwonted +thump when he observed the bull in the distance glaring at him. He +looked round in alarm. Nothing but an unbroken flat for a hundred yards +lay around him in all directions, unrelieved by bush, rock, or tree, and +bounded by a five-foot wall, with only one gate, near to where the bull +stood pawing the earth and apparently working itself into a rage. + +"Now, Dick," murmured the old gentleman, seriously, "it's do or die with +you if that brute charges, for your legs are not much better than +pipe-stems, and your wind is--Eh! he comes!" + +Turning sharply, he caused the pipe-stems to wag with amazing velocity-- +too fast, indeed, for his toe, catching on something, sent him violently +to the ground, and the basket flew over his head with such force that +the strap gave way. He sprang up instantly, still unconsciously holding +on to rod and umbrella. + +Meanwhile, the bull, having made up its mind, came charging down the +field with its eyes flashing and its tail on high. + +MacRummle looked back. He saw that the case was hopeless. He was +already exhausted and gasping. A young man could scarcely have reached +the wall in time. Suddenly he came to a ditch, one of those narrow open +drains with which inhabitants of wet countries are familiar. The sight +of it shot a blaze of hope through his despair! He stopped at once, +dropped his rod, and, putting up his umbrella, laid it on the ground. +It was a large cotton one of the Gamp description. Under the shelter of +it he stepped quietly into the ditch, which was not much more than +knee-deep, with very little water in it. + +Placing the umbrella in such a position that it came between himself and +the bull, he laid himself flat down in the drain. The opening was far +too narrow to admit his broad shoulders, except when turned sidewise. +The same treatment was not applicable to other parts of his person, but, +by dint of squeezing and collapsing, he got down, nestled under the +bank, and lay still. + +On came the bull till it reached the basket, which, with a deft toss, it +hurled into the air and sent the silvery treasure flying. A moment more +and it went head foremost into the umbrella. Whether it was surprised +at finding its enemy so light and unsubstantial, or at the slipping of +one of its feet into the drain, we cannot tell, but the result was that +it came down and turned a complete somersault over the drain, carrying +the umbrella along with it in its mad career! + +When the bull scrambled to its feet again, and looked round in some +surprise, it found that one of its legs and both its horns were through +and entangled with the wrecked article. + +It was a fine sight to witness the furious battle that immediately +ensued between the black bull and that cotton umbrella! Rage at the man +was evidently transmuted into horror at the article. The bull pranced +and shook its head and pawed about in vain efforts to get rid of its +tormenter. Shreds of the wreck flapped wildly in its eyes. Spider-like +ribs clung to its massive limbs and poked its reeking sides, while the +swaying handle kept tapping its cheeks and ears and nose, as if taunting +the creature with being held and badgered by a thing so flimsy and +insignificant! + +Happily this stirring incident was not altogether unwitnessed. Far up +the valley it was observed by four living creatures, three of whom +immediately came tearing down the road at racing speed. Gradually their +different powers separated them from each other. Archie came first, +Eddie next, and Junkie brought up the rear. On nearing the field the +first wrenched a stake out of a fence; the second caught up a rake, that +had been left by the haymakers; and the last, unscrewing the butt of his +rod, broke the line, and flourished the weapon as a cudgel. They all +three leaped into the field one after another, and bore courageously +down on the bull, being well accustomed to deal with animals of the +sort. + +Separating as they drew near, they attacked him on three sides at once. +Short work would he have made with any of them singly; together they +were more than his match. When he charged Junkie, Archie ran in and +brought the stake down on his skull. When he turned on his assailant, +Eddie combed his sides with the rake. Dashing at the new foe he was +caught by the tail by Junkie, who applied the butt of his rod +vigorously, the reel adding considerable weight to his blows. At last +the bull was cowed--if we may venture to say so--and driven +ignominiously into a corner of the field, where he vented his rage on +the remnants of the umbrella, while the victors returned to the field of +battle. + +"But what's come of MacRummle?" said the panting Junkie as they gathered +up the fish and replaced them in the basket. "I never saw him get over +the wall. Did you?" + +"No," replied Archie, looking round in surprise. + +"I dare say he ran off while we were thumpin' the bull," suggested +Eddie. + +"I'm here, boys! I'm here, Junkie," cried a strange sepulchral voice, +as if from the bowels of the earth. + +"Where?" asked the boys gazing down at their feet with expressions of +awe. + +"He's i' the drain!" cried Junkie with an expanding mouth. + +"Ay--that's it! I'm in the drain! Lend a hand, boys; I can hardly +move." + +They ran to him instantly, but it required the united powers of all +three to get him out, and when they succeeded he was found to be coated +all over one side with thick mud. + +"What a muddle you've made of yourself, to be sure!" exclaimed Junkie. +"Let me scrape you." + +But MacRummle refused to be scraped until they had placed the five-foot +wall between himself and the black bull. Then he submitted with a +profound sigh. + + + +CHAPTER ELEVEN. + +PECULIAR INCIDENTS OF A SABBATH AMONG THE WESTERN ISLES. + +One beautiful Sunday morning while the party assembled in Kinlossie +House was at breakfast, a message was brought to the laird that he "wass +wantit to speak wi' the poy Tonal'." + +"Well, Donald, my lad, what want ye with me this fine morning?" asked +the laird, on going out to the hall. + +"I wass telt to tell ye the'll be no kirk the day, for the minister's +got to preach at Drumquaich." + +"Very well, Donald. Have you had breakfast?" + +"Oo, ay." + +"Go into the kitchen, then, and they will give you some more." + +"Thenkee, sir." + +"I find," said the laird on returning to his friends, "that we are to +have no service to-day in our little church, as our minister has to take +the duty at Drumquaich, on the other side of the loch. So those of you +who are bent on going to church must make up your minds to cross the +loch in the boat." + +"Is Drumquaich the little village close under the pine wood, that we see +on doubling Eagle Point?" asked Mabberly. + +"The same. The little church there, like our own, is not supplied +regularly. Sometimes a Divinity student is sent down to them. +Occasionally they have a great gun from Edinburgh." + +"I think some of the students are better than the great guns," remarked +Mrs Gordon quietly. + +"True, my dear, and that is most natural, for it stands to reason that +some at least of the students must be the great guns of the future in +embryo; and they have the freshness of youth to set against the weight +of erudition." + +"The student who preached to us here last Sunday," observed Barret, +"must surely be an embryo great gun, for he treated his subject in a +learned and masterly way that amazed me. From the look of him I would +not have expected even an average discourse." + +"That was partly owing to his modest air and reticence," returned the +laird. "If you heard him converse on what he would call metapheesical +subjects, you would perhaps have been still more surprised." + +"Well, I hope he will preach to-day," said Barret. + +"From which I conclude that you will be one of the boat party. My wife +and Milly make three, myself four; who else?" + +"No--don't count me" interrupted the hostess; "I must stay with Flo; +besides, I must visit poor Mrs Donaldson, who is again laid up. But +I'll be glad if you will take Aggy Anderson. Ever since the poor girl +came here for a little change of air she has been longing to go out in +the boat. I really believe it is a natural craving for the free, fresh +breezes of the sea. May she go?" + +"By all means; as many as the boat will hold," returned the laird. + +It was finally arranged that, besides those already mentioned, Mabberly, +Jackman, MacRummle, Quin, the three boys, Roderick the groom, and Ian +Anderson, as boatman in charge, should cross over to the little church +at Drumquaich, about eight miles distant by water. + +While they were getting ready, Mrs Gordon and Flo, with the beloved +black dolly, paid a visit to old Molly, the keeper's mother. They found +her in her arm-chair, sitting by the large, open chimney, on the hearth +of which a very small fire was burning--not for the sake of warmth, but +for the boiling of an iron pot which hung over it. + +The old woman was enveloped in a large, warm shawl--a gift from the +"Hoose." She also wore a close-fitting white cap, or "mutch," which was +secured to her head by a broad, black ribbon. The rims of her +spectacles were of tortoiseshell, and she had a huge family Bible on her +knee, while her feet rested upon a three-legged stool. She looked up +inquiringly as her visitors entered. + +"Why, Molly, I thought you were in bed. They told me you were ill." + +"Na, mem, I'm weel eneuch in body; it's the speerit that's ill. And ye +ken why." + +She spoke in a faint, quavering voice, for her old heart had been +crushed by her wayward, self-indulgent son, and a few tears rolled down +her wrinkled cheeks; but she was too old and feeble to give way to +demonstrative grief. Little Flo, whose heart was easily touched, went +close to the poor old woman, and looked up anxiously in her face. + +"My bonny doo! It's a pleasure to look at ye," said the old woman, +laying her hand on the child's head. + +Mrs Gordon drew in a chair and sat down by her side. + +"Tell me about it," she said confidentially; "has he given way again, +after all his promises to Mr Jackman?" + +"Oo, ay; Maister Jackman's a fine man, but he canna change the hert o' +my son--though it is kind o' him to try. No, the only consolation I hev +is here." + +She laid her hand on the open Bible. + +"Where is he just now?" asked the lady. + +As she spoke, a fierce yell was heard issuing from the keeper's cottage, +which, as we have said, stood close to his mother's abode. + +"Ye hear till 'im," said the old woman with a sorrowful shake of the +head. "He iss fery pad the day. Whiles he thinks that horrible craters +are crawlin' ower him, an' whiles that fearful bogles are glowerin' at +him. Sometimes he fancies that the foul fiend himsel' has gotten haud +o' him, an' then he screeches as ye hear." + +"Would it do any good, Molly, if I were to go and speak to him, think +you?" + +"Na, ye'd better let him lie. He's no' hissel' the now, and there's no +sayin' what he might do. Oh! drink! drink!" cried the old creature, +clasping her hands; "ye took my man awa', an' now ye're ruinin' my son! +But," she added with sudden animation, "we can pray for him; though it +iss not possible for you or Maister Jackman to change my bairn's hert, +the Lord can do it, for wi' Him `a' things are possible.'" + +To this Mrs Gordon gave a hearty assent. Sitting still as she was, +with hand resting on the old woman's arm, she shut her eyes and prayed +fervently for the salvation of the enslaved man. + +She was still engaged in this act of worship when another shriek was +heard. At the same time the door of the keeper's cottage was heard to +open, and Ivor's feet were heard staggering towards his mother's +cottage. Poor Flo took refuge in great alarm behind Mrs Donaldson, +while her mother, rising quickly, drew back a few paces. + +Next moment the small door was burst open, and the keeper plunged, +almost fell, into the room with something like a savage cheer. He was a +terrible sight. With wildly dishevelled hair, bloodshot eyes, and +distorted features, he stood for a few seconds glaring at his mother; +his tall figure swaying to and fro, while he held a quart bottle aloft +in his right hand. He did not appear to observe the visitors, but +continued to stare at his mother with an expression that perplexed her, +accustomed though she was to his various moods. + +"See, mother," he shouted fiercely, "I have done wi' the accursed thing +at last!" + +He dashed the bottle on the hearth with tremendous violence as he spoke, +so that it vanished into minute fragments, while its contents spurted +about in all directions. Happily very little of it went into the fire, +else the cottage would have been set ablaze. + +With another wild laugh the man wheeled round, staggered out of the +cottage, and went his way. + +"You are not hurt, I trust?" said the lady, anxiously bending down over +the poor old creature, who had remained calmly seated in her chair, +without the slightest appearance of alarm. + +"No, I'm not hurt, thank the Lord," she answered. + +"Don't you think that that was an answer to our prayer?" asked the lady +with some eagerness. + +Old Molly shook her head dubiously. "It may be so," she replied; "but I +hev often seen 'im i' that mind, and he has gone back to it again and +again, like the soo that was washed, to her wallowin' i' the mire. Yet +there did seem somethin' different aboot 'im the day," she added +thoughtfully; "but it iss not the first time I hev prayed for him +without gettin' an answer." + +"Answers do not always come as we expect them," returned her visitor; +"yet they may be granted even while we are asking. I don't know how it +is, but I feel sure that Jesus will save your son." + +Poor little Flo, who had been deeply affected by the terrible appearance +of her favourite Ivor, and who had never seen him in such a plight +before, quietly slipped out of old Molly's hut and went straight to that +of the keeper. She found him seated on a chair with his elbows on his +knees, his forehead resting on his hands, and his strong fingers +grasping his hair as if about to tear it out by the roots. Flo, who was +naturally fearless and trustful, ran straight to him and placed a hand +on his shoulder. He started and looked round. + +"Bairn! bairn!" he said grasping her little head, and kissing her +forehead, "what brings ye here?" + +"Muzzer says she is _sure_ Jesus will save you; so I came to tell you, +for muzzer _never_ says what's not true." + +Having delivered her consoling message, Flo ran back at once to Molly's +cottage with the cheerful remark that it was all right now, for she had +told Ivor that he was going to be saved! + +While Mrs Gordon and Flo were thus engaged on shore, the boat party +were rowing swiftly down the loch to the little hamlet of Drumquaich. +The weather was magnificent. Not a breath of air stirred the surface of +the sea, so that every little white cloud in the sky was perfectly +reproduced in the concave below. The gulls that floated on the white +expanse seemed each to be resting on its own inverted image, and the +boat would have appeared in similar aspect but for the shivering of the +mirror by its oars. + +"Most appropriate type of Sabbath rest," said Jackman. + +"Ay, but like all things here pelow," remarked Ian Anderson, who +possessed in a high degree the faculty of disputation, "it's not likely +to last long." + +"What makes you think so, Ian?" asked Milly, who sat in the stern of the +boat between John Barret and Aggy Anderson. + +"Well, you see, muss," began Ian, in his slow, nasal tone, "the gless +has bin fallin' for some time past, an'--Tonal', poy, mind your helm; +see where you're steerin' to!" + +Donald, who steered, was watching with profound interest the operations +of Junkie, who had slily and gravely fastened a piece of twine to a back +button of MacRummle's coat, and tied him to the thwart on which he sat. +Being thus sternly asked where he was steering to, Donald replied, "Oo, +ay," and quickly corrected the course. + +"But surely," returned Milly, "there is no sign of a rapid change, at +least if we may judge from the aspect of Nature; and I am a fervent +believer in Nature, whatever the glass may predict." + +"I am not sure o' that, muss," said Ian. "You needn't pull quite so +hard, Muster Mabberly; we hev plenty o' time. Tak it easy. Well, as I +wass sayin', muss, I hev seen it as calm as this i' the mornin' mony a +time, an' plowin' a gale at nicht." + +"Let us hope that that won't be our experience to-day," said the laird. +"Anyhow, we have a good sea-boat under us." + +"Weel, the poat's no' a pad wan, laird, but I hev seen petter. You see, +when the wund iss richt astern, she iss given to trinkin'." + +"That's like Ivor," said Junkie with a laugh; "only _he_ is given to +drinkin', no matter how the wind blows." + +"What do you mean?" asked Milly, much perplexed. + +Barret here explained that a boat which takes in much water over the bow +is said to be given to drinking. + +"I'm inclined that way myself," said Jackman, who had been pulling hard +at one of the oars up to that time. + +"Has any one thought of bringing a bottle of water?" + +"Here's a bottle," cried MacRummle, laughing. + +"Ah, sure, an' there seems to be a bottle o' milk, or somethin' white +under the th'ort," remarked Quin, who pulled the bow oar. + +"But that's Milly's bottle of milk," shouted Junkie. + +"And Aggy's," chimed in Eddie. + +"Yes--no one must touch that," said Junkie. + +"Quite right, boys," said Jackman; "besides, milk is not good for +quenching thirst." + +On search being made, it was found that water had not been brought with +them, so that the thirsty rowers had to rest content without it. + +"Is that Eagle Cliff I see, just over the knoll there?" asked Barret. + +"It is," answered the laird; "don't you see the eagle himself like a +black speck hovering above it? My shepherd would gladly see the bird +killed, for he and his wife make sad havoc among the lambs sometimes; +but I can't say that I sympathise with the shepherd. An eagle is a +noble bird, and there are none too many of them now in this country." + +"I agree with you heartily," said Barret; "and I would regard the man +who should kill that eagle as little better than a murderer." + +"_Quite_ as bad as a murderer!" said Milly with energy. "I am glad you +speak out so clearly, Mr Barret; for I fear there are some among us who +would not hesitate to shoot if the poor bird were to come within range." + +"Pray don't look so pointedly at me, Miss Moss," said Jackman; "I assure +you I have no intention of attempting murder--at least not in that +direction." + +"Och! an' it's murder enough you've done already for wan man," said Quin +in an undertone. + +"Oh! I say, that reminds me. Do tell us the rest of the story of the +elephant hunt, Mr Jackman," cried Junkie. + +"Not just now, my boy. It's a long story. Besides, we are on our way +to church! Some other time I will tell it you." + +"It would take half the romance away from my mother's visit if the eagle +were killed," remarked Milly, who did not overhear the elephant +parenthesis. + +"Has your mother, then, decided to come?" asked Barret. + +"Yes. In spite of the sea, which she dreads, and steamers, which she +hates, she has made up her mind to come and take me home." + +"How charming that will be!" said Barret. + +"Indeed!" returned Milly, with a significant look and smile. + +"Of _course_ I did not mean that," returned Barret, laughing. "I meant +that it would be charming for you to have your mother out here, and to +return home in her company. Is she likely to stay long?" + +"I cannot tell. That depends on so many things. But I am sure of one +thing, that she longs to see and thank you for the great service you +rendered me on the day of your arrival here." + +Barret began to protest that the service was a comparatively small one, +and such as any man might gladly render to any one, when the arrival of +the boat at the landing-place cut him short. + +About thirty or forty people had assembled from the surrounding +districts, some of whom had come four or even six miles to attend +church. They formed a quiet, grave, orderly company of men and women in +homespun garments, with only a few children among them. The arrival of +the laird's party made a very considerable addition to the congregation, +and, as the hour for meeting had already passed by a few minutes, they +made a general move towards the church. + +The building was wonderfully small, and in the most severely simple +style of architecture, being merely an oblong structure of grey stone, +with small square windows, and a belfry at one end of the roof. It +might have been mistaken for a cottage but for this, and the door being +protected by a small porch, and placed at one end of the structure, +instead of at the side. + +A few of the younger men remained outside in conversation, awaiting the +advent of the minister. After a time, however, these dropped in and +took their seats, and people began to wonder why the minister was so +late. Presently a boy with bare legs and a kilt entered the church and +whispered to a very old man, who turned out to be an elder. Having +heard the boy's message, the elder crossed over to the pew in which the +laird was seated and whispered to him, not so low, however, as to +prevent Giles Jackman from hearing all that passed. The minister's +horse had fallen, he said, and bruised the minister's legs so that he +could not officiate. + +"Very awkward," returned the laird, knitting his brows. "What's to be +done? It seems absurd that so many of us should assemble here just to +look solemn for a few minutes and then go home." + +"Yes, sir, it iss akward," said the elder. "Could you not gif us a +discoorse yoursel', sir, from the prezenter's dask?" + +The latter part of the proposition was to guard himself from the +imputation of having asked the laird to mount the _pulpit_. + +"Me preach!" exclaimed the laird; "I never did such a thing in my life." + +"Maype you'll read a chapter, what-e-ver," persisted the elder. + +"Impossible! I never read a chapter since I was born--in public, I +mean, of course. But why not do it yourself, man?" + +"So I would, sir, but my throat'll not stand it." + +"Is there no other elder who could do it?" + +"Not wan, sir. I'm afraid we will hev to dismiss the congregation." + +At this point, to the laird's relief and no little surprise, Jackman +leaned forward, and said in a low voice, "If you have no objection, I +will undertake to conduct the service." + +The elder gave the laird a look which, if it had been translated into +words, would probably have conveyed the idea--"Is he orthodox?" + +"By all means, Mr Jackman," said the laird; "you will be doing us a +great favour." + +Accordingly Jackman went quietly to the precentor's desk and mounted it, +much to the surprise of its proper occupant, a man with a voice like a +brass trumpet, who thereupon took his seat on a chair below the desk. + +Profound was the interest of the congregation when they saw this +bronzed, broad-shouldered, big-bearded young man pull a small Bible out +of his pocket and begin to turn over the leaves. And it was noted with +additional interest by several of the people that the Bible seemed to be +a well-worn one. Looking up from it after a few minutes, during which +it was observed that his eyes had been closed, Jackman said, in an easy, +conversational tone, that quite took the people by surprise-- + +"Friends, it has been my lot in life to wander for some years in wild +and distant lands, where ministers of the Gospel were few and far +between, and where Christians were obliged to conduct the worship of God +as best they could. Your minister being unable to attend, owing to an +accident, which I trust may not turn out to be serious, I shall attempt, +with the permission of your elder, to lead your thoughts Godward, in +dependence on the Holy Spirit. Let us pray." + +The jealous ears of the rigorously orthodox heard him thus far without +being able to detect absolute heresy, though they were sensitively alive +to the unusual style and very unclerical tone of the speaker's voice. +The same ears listened reverently to the prayer which followed, for it +was, after the pattern of the Lord's Prayer, almost startlingly short; +still it was very earnest, extremely simple, and, all things considered, +undeniably orthodox. + +Relieved in their minds, therefore, the people prepared themselves for +more, and the precentor, with the brazen but tuneful voice, sang the +first line of the psalm which the young preacher gave out--"I to the +hills will lift mine eyes"--with rasping energy. At the second line the +congregation joined in, and sang praise with reverent good-will, so +that, when a chapter of the Word had been read and another psalm sung, +they were brought to a state of hopeful expectancy. The text still +further pleased them, when, in a quiet voice, while turning over the +leaves of the well-used Bible, Jackman said, "In all thy ways +acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths." + +Laying down his little Bible, and looking at the people earnestly and in +silence for a few moments, the preacher said-- + +"I have travelled in Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland, and other +places, and I never yet went in these countries without a guide-book. +More than that, never in all my experience have I seen men or women +travelling in these countries without a guide-book. The travellers +always carried their guide-books in their hands, or in their pockets, +and consulted them as they went along. In the evenings, round the +tables or on the sofas of the salons, they would sometimes sit poring +over the pages of their guide-books, considering distances and the best +routes, and the cost of travelling and board. Any man who would have +travelled without a guide-book, or who, having one, neglected to use it, +would have been considered weak-minded at the least. Still further, I +have noted that such travellers _believed_ in their guide-books, and +usually acted on the advice and directions therein given. + +"But one journey I can tell of in which all this seems to be reversed-- +the journey from earth towards heaven. And here is our guide-book for +that journey," said the preacher, holding up the little Bible. "How do +we treat it? I do not ask scoffers, who profess not to believe in the +Bible. I ask those who _call themselves_ Christians, and who would be +highly offended if we ventured to doubt their Christianity. Is it not +true that many of us consult our Guide-book very much as a matter of +form and habit, without much real belief that it will serve us in all +the minute details of life? We all wish to get on in life. The most +obstinate and contradictory man on earth admits that. Even if he denies +it with his lips, all his actions prove that he admits it. Well, what +says our Guide-book in regard to what is called `getting on'? `In all +thy ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct thy paths.' Now, what +could be simpler--we might even say, what could be easier--than this? +Him whom we have to acknowledge is defined in the previous verse as `the +Lord'--that is, Jesus, Immanuel, or God with us." + +From this point the sunburnt preacher diverged into illustration, +leaning over the desk in a free-and-easy, confidential way, and +thrilling his audience with incidents in his own adventurous career, +which bore directly on the great truth that, as regards the Great End of +life, success and blessedness result from acknowledging the Lord, and +that failure and disaster inevitably await those who ignore Him. + +While Jackman proceeded with his discourse, the sky had become overcast, +dark thunderclouds had been gathering in the nor'-east, rain had also +begun to descend; yet so intently were the people listening to this +unusual style of preacher, that few of them observed the change until a +distant thunder-clap awoke them to it. + +Quietly, but promptly, Jackman drew his discourse to a close, and +stepped out of the desk, remarking, in the very same voice with which he +had preached, that he feared he had kept them too long, and that he +hoped none of the congregation had far to go. + +"We hev that, sir," said the old elder, shaking him warmly by the hand; +"but we don't heed that, an' we are fery glad that we came, what-e-ver." + +As the wind had also risen, and it seemed as if the weather was not +likely to improve, the laird hurried his party down to the boat. +Waterproofs were put on, umbrellas were put up, the sails were hoisted, +and the boat put off. + +"I fear the sea is very rough," remarked Milly Moss, drawing close to +Aggy Anderson, so as to shelter her somewhat from the driving rain. + +"Oo, ay; it iss a wee rough," assented Ian, who now took the helm; "but +we wull soon rin ower. Haud you the main sheet, Mr Mabberly, an' pe +ready to let co when I tell ye. It iss a wee thing squally." + +It was indeed a little more than a "wee thing squally," for just then a +vivid flash of lightning was seen to glitter among the distant crags of +the Eagle Cliff. This was followed by a loud clap of thunder, which, +leaping from cliff to crag, reverberated among the mountains with a +succession of crashes that died away in ominous mutterings. At the same +time a blue line towards the nor'-east indicated an approaching squall. + +"Had we not better take in a reef, Ian?" asked the laird anxiously. + +"We had petter weather the pint first," said the boatman; "efter that +the wund wul pe in oor favour, an'--but, ye're richt. Tak in a reef, +Roderick an' Tonal'. Mind the sheet, Mr Mabberly, an' sit low in the +poat, poys." + +These orders were promptly obeyed, for the squall was rushing down the +loch very rapidly. When it burst on them the boat leaned over till her +lee gunwale almost ran under water, but Ian was a skilful boatman, and +managed to weather the point in safety. + +After that, as he had said, the wind was more favourable, enabling them +to run before it. Still, they were not out of danger, for a wide +stretch of foaming sea lay between them and the shores of Kinlossie, +while a gathering storm was darkening the sky behind them. + + + +CHAPTER TWELVE. + +STIRRING EVENTS OF MORE KINDS THAN ONE. + +The squall which blew the Kinlossie boat round the Eagle Point was but +the precursor of a succession of heavy squalls which quickly changed +into a furious gale, compelling Ian Anderson to close reef his sails. +Even when this was done, the boat rushed through the foaming water with +tremendous velocity, and exhibited that tendency to drinking, to which +reference has already been made; for every time she plunged into the +trough of the sea, a little water came over the bow. + +Of course, going as they were at such a rate, the traversing of six or +eight miles of water occupied but little time, and they were soon close +to the bay, at the head of which Kinlossie House nestled among its +trees. + +"Come aft, poys," shouted Ian, whose voice, strong though it was, could +scarcely be heard in the bow owing to the roaring of the gale; "she's +trinkin' too much; come aft, an' look sherp!" + +The three boys obeyed with alacrity, being well accustomed to boats, and +aware of the necessity of prompt obedience in circumstances of danger. + +Thus lightened, the boat ceased drinking at the bow, but, being rather +overweighted at the stern, she now and then took in a little water +there. + +Unfortunately the point of rocks which formed the southern end of +Kinlossie Bay obliged Ian to change his course a little in order to +weather them. This was a critical operation. Even the girls had some +sort of idea of that, as their looks bore witness. John Barret felt a +strong inclination to slip his arm round Milly's waist and whisper, +"Don't be afraid, beloved, _I'll_ take care of you!" but want of +courage--to say nothing of a sense of propriety--kept his lips silent +and his arm still. + +"Noo, keep stiddy, all of ye," said Ian, as he shifted the helm a +little. + +An irrepressible shriek burst from Aggy Anderson, for the boat lay over +so much that the hissing water rippled almost into her, and seemed about +to swallow them up. + +"Tak anither haul o' the sheet, Maister Mabberly," cried Ian. + +Assisted by Jackman, Mabberly obeyed, and the boat went, as Quin said, +"snorin'" past the rocks, which were now close under her lee, with the +waves bursting wildly over them. Another minute and the outermost rock +was under their port bow. To the eyes of the girls it seemed as if +destruction were inevitable. To make matters worse, at that moment a +vivid flash was succeeded by a loud thunder-clap, which, mingling with +the gale, seemed to intensify its fury, while a deluge of rain came +down. But Ian knew what he was about. With a firm hand on the tiller +he steered past the point, yet so closely that it seemed as if an active +man might have leaped upon the outermost rock, which rose, black and +solid, amid the surging foam. + +Another moment and the boat swept safely round into the bay, and was +again put before the wind. + +"We're a' richt noo, what-e-ver," said Ian with a grunt of satisfaction. + +Never before did a self-sufficient boatman have his words more +effectually or promptly falsified than on that occasion. The distance +between boat and shore at that moment was only a few hundred yards; but +the water all the way was deep, and the waves, in consequence, were +large and wild. There were great possibilities within the brief space +of distance and time that lay before them! + +"Tak an oar, Maister Quin, an' help Rodereek to fend off," cried the +boatman. "Hold ticht to the sheet, sir, an' pe ready to let co the +moment I tell ye. Are ye ready wi' the halyards, Muster Airchie?" + +"All right, Ian," replied the boy, who stood ready to lower the sail. + +They could see that several men were standing on the beach, ready to +render assistance, among them Duncan, the butler, and Ivor, the +gamekeeper. The latter, who had evidently recovered himself, was +standing waist-deep in the foam, as if anxious to grasp the boat when it +grounded. + +"Ivor is unusually keen to help us to-day," remarked the laird, with a +peculiar look; but no one was sufficiently disengaged to listen to or +answer him. + +At that critical moment Junkie took it into his unaccountable head to +scramble to the fore part of the boat, in order, as he said, to lend a +hand with a rope. On reaching the bow he stumbled; the boat plunged +heavily, as if to accommodate him, and he went overboard with a suddenly +checked yell, that rose high and sharp above the roaring gale! + +Of course every man near him sprang to the side and made a wild grasp at +him. The gunwale went down, the sea rushed in, and, in a space of time +brief as the lightning-flash, all the occupants of the boat were +struggling in the waves! + +A great cry arose from the shore, and Ivor, plunging into the surf, was +seen to breast the billows with the force of a Hercules. In the moment +of upsetting, John Barret's cowardice and scruples vanished. He seized +Milly by the arm, and held her up when they rose from the plunge. + +And now, for the first time in his life, our hero found the advantage of +having trained himself, not only in all manly exercises, but in the +noble art of rescuing life from the water. Instead of rising to the +wild discovery of helpless ignorance, as to what was the best way of +using his great strength, he rose with the comfortable knowledge, first, +that he was a powerful swimmer, and second, that he knew exactly what to +do--at least to attempt. Instead, therefore, of allowing himself to be +hugged, and probably drowned, by the girl he loved, he held her off at +arm's length until he managed to grasp her by both arms close to the +shoulders, and with her back towards him--treading water while doing so. +Then, swimming on his own back, he gently drew her upon his breast, so +that her head rested close to his chin. Thus the girl's face was turned +upwards and held well out of the water, and the youth was able to say +almost in her ear, "Trust in God, dearest, He will save us!" while he +struck out vigorously with his legs. Thus, swimming on his back, he +headed for the shore. + +Lest the reader should fancy that we are here merely inventing a mode of +action, it may be well to state that we have conversed with a man styled +"the Rescue," whose duty it was to watch the boys of Aberdeen while +bathing on the dangerous coast there, and who told us that he had saved +some hundreds of lives--many of them in the manner above described. + +Every one in the boat was fortunately able to swim, more or less, except +Milly and Aggie Anderson. With the utmost anxiety to save the latter, +her Uncle Ian made a desperate plunge when the boat upset, at the spot +where, in the confusion, he thought he saw her go down. He grasped +something under water, which clutched him violently in return. Rising +to the surface he found that he had got hold of Giles Jackman, who, +animated by the same desire to rescue the same girl, had also made a +plunge at her. Flinging each other off almost angrily, they swam wildly +about in search of her, for Giles had observed that Barret was +sufficiently intent on Milly. + +But poor Aggie was in even better hands. Ivor Donaldson had kept his +eyes on her from the moment that he could distinguish faces in the +approaching boat. He was a splendid swimmer. Even against wind and +waves he made rapid headway, and in a few seconds caught the girl by the +hair. In his case the absence of a plan of rescue was to some extent +remedied by sheer strength of body, coupled with determination. The +poor girl did her best to choke him, as drowning people will, but, +happily, she was too weak for the purpose and he too strong! He +suffered her to do her worst, and, with the arm which she left free made +his way gallantly to the beach, where Duncan and all the domestics were +ready to receive them. + +Barret and Milly had landed just before them. Immediately after Archie +and Eddie were swept in amid the foam, and Junkie himself--who, like his +brothers, could swim like a cork--came careering in on the top of a +wave, like a very water-imp! With all the energy of his nature he +turned, the moment his feet touched ground, to lend a hand to his friend +Tonal', who was not far behind him. + +Thus, one by one, the whole party got safely to land, for the laird, +although old, was still vigorous, and, like the others, able to swim. +MacRummle came in last, and they had some difficulty in getting him out +of the water, for he was rather sluggish, as well as heavy; but he was +none the worse for his immersion, and to the anxieties afterwards +expressed by his friends, he replied quietly that he had become pretty +well used to the water by that time. It was a trying experience, +however, for all of them, and, in the opinion of Ian Anderson, as he +gave it to his wife when they met, "it was a queer way o' feenishin' off +a fery extraor'nar Sawbath tay--what-e-ver!" + +One morning, not long after this incident, the gentlemen made up a +shooting party to try the summit of the hill for mountain hares--their +hostess having twitted them with their inability to keep the household +supplied with hare soup. + +"I will accompany you, gentlemen, to the shoulder of the first hill," +observed their host, as he finished his breakfast, "but not farther, for +I am not so young as I once was, and cannot be expected to keep pace +with a `Woods and Forester.'" + +"That is not a good reason for your stopping short, laird," retorted +Jackman, with a smile, "because it is quite possible for the `Woods and +Forester' to regulate his pace to that of the Western Isles." + +"Well, we shall see," returned his host. "And what does my reckless +Milly intend to do with herself?" + +"I mean to have a little picnic--all by myself," said Milly; "that is to +say with nobody but me and Aggy Anderson." + +"D'you think that quite safe, so soon after her ducking?" asked Mrs +Gordon. + +"Quite safe, auntie, for she has not felt a bit the worse for that +ducking; indeed, she seems much the better for it, and I am quite sure +that hill air is good for her." + +"Oh! then, you mean to have your very select picnic on the hills?" said +the laird. + +"Yes, but no one shall know to what part we are going, for, as I have +said, we mean to have a day of it all to ourselves; only we will take +Junkie to protect us, and carry our provisions." + +There were two of the gentlemen who declined the shooting expedition. +John Barret said he would start with them, but would at a certain point +drop behind and botanise. MacRummle also preferred to make _one more_ +effort to catch that grilse which had risen so often to him of late, but +was still at large in the big pool under the fall. The result of the +morning's discussion was that only Mabberly and Jackman proceeded to +assault the hares on the mountain-top, accompanied by Archie and Eddie, +with Ivor Donaldson to guide them. + +Up in the nursery--that devastated region which suggested the idea of an +hospital for broken furniture and toys--poor little neglected Flo sat +down on the floor, and, propping her favourite doll up against the +remnant of a drum, asked that sable friend what she would like to do. +Receiving no answer, she said, in a cheery, confidential tone, which she +had acquired from her mother, "I'll tell you what, Miss Blackie, you an' +I will go for a picnic too. Zere's plenty places for you an' me, as +well as for Cuzn Miwy to go to, an' we will let muzzer go wid us--if +she's dood. So go, like a dood chile', an' get your things on." + +As the day was particularly bright and warm, this minor picnic was +splendidly carried into effect, in a little coppice close to the house. +There Mrs Gordon knitted and sometimes read, and behaved altogether +like a particularly "dood chile," while Flo and Blackie carried on high +jinks around her. + +The Eagle Cliff was the spot which Milly Moss had fixed on for her +select little picnic with the niece of the fisherman. Strange to say, +and without the slightest knowledge or suspicion of this fact (so he +said), John Barret had selected the very same spot for his botanical +ramble. It must be remembered, however, that it was a wide spot. + +Seated in a secluded nook, not long after noon, Milly and Aggy, with +Junkie, enjoyed the good things which were spread on a mass of flat rock +in front of them. + +"Now I call this jolly!" said Junkie, as well as he could, with a mass +of jam-tart stopping the way. + +"It is indeed," returned Milly; "but I don't feel quite sure whether you +refer to the splendour of the scenery or the goodness of the tart." + +"To both," returned the boy, inarticulately. + +"Do you think you could eat any more?" asked Milly with a grave, earnest +look that made Aggy giggle--for Aggy was a facile giggler! + +"No, I don't," said Junkie. "I'm stuffed!" + +"Well, then, you are at leisure to fill the cup again at the spring; so +run, like a good boy, and do it." + +"How hard you are on a fellow, Cousin Milly," grumbled the youngster, +rising to do as he was bid; but the expression of his jammy face showed +that he was no unwilling slave. + +"How old are you, Aggy?" asked Milly when he was gone. + +"Sixteen last birthday," returned the girl. + +"Ah! how I wish I was sixteen again!" said Milly, with a profound sigh, +as she gazed over the rim of a tartlet she happened to be eating, at the +glittering sea and the far-off horizon. She was evidently recalling +some very sad and ancient memories. + +"Why?" asked her companion, who exhibited a very slight tendency to +laugh. + +"Because I was so light-hearted and happy at that age." + +"How old are you now, Miss Milly?" asked Aggy, in a tone of increased +respect. + +"Nineteen," replied the other with a sigh. + +Again Aggy's pretty round face was rippled by a suppressed giggle, and +it is highly probable that she would have given way altogether if Junkie +had not returned at the moment and rescued her. + +"Here's the water, Milly. Now, Aggy, have you had enough?" + +"Yes, quite enough," laughed the highly convalescent invalid. + +"Well, then, come along wi' me and I'll show you the place where Cousin +Milly fell down. You needn't come, Milly. I want to show it to Aggy +all by herself, an' we won't be long away." + +"Very well, Junkie, as you please. I daresay I shall manage to pass the +time pleasantly enough till you return." + +She leant back on a thick heather bush as she spoke, and indulged +herself in that most enjoyable and restful of occupations, on a bright +warm day, namely, looking straight up into the sunny sky and +contemplating the soft fleecy clouds that float there, changing their +forms slowly but continually. + +Now it so happened that John Barret, in his botanical wanderings about +the Eagle Cliff, in quest of the "rare specimens" that Milly loved, +discovered Milly herself! This was not such a matter-of-course +discovery as the reader may suppose, for the Eagle Cliff occupied a vast +space of the mountain-side, among the rugged ramparts and knolls of +which several persons might have wandered for hours without much chance +of observing each other, unless they were to shout or discharge the +echo-disturbing gun. + +Whether it was the mysterious attraction or the occult discernment of +love that drew him, we cannot tell, but certain it is that when Barret, +standing on the upper edge of the cliff, glanced from the eagle--which +was watching him suspiciously--downward to the base of the cliff, where +the sheep appeared like little buff spots on the green grass, his +startled eyes alighted on Milly, lying on her back, contemplating the +heavens! + +At that distance she might have been a mole or a rabbit, as far as +regards Barret's power to discern her face or figure or occupation went; +nevertheless, Barret knew at once that it was she, as his look and +colour instantly indicated. There is something in such matters which we +cannot understand, and, perhaps, had better not attempt to comprehend. +It is sufficient to say that the young man instantly forgot his +occupation, and began to descend the cliff by break-neck routes in a way +that must have surprised--if not alarmed--the very eagle himself. He +even trod some exceedingly rare "specimens" under foot in his haste. In +a few minutes he drew near to the spot where Milly lay. + +Then he suddenly stopped, for he remembered that she had that morning +spoken of her picnic as a very private one; and was it not taking a +base, unwarrantable advantage of her, thus to intrude on her privacy? +But then--ah! how fatally, if not fortunately, that "but then" often +comes in to seal our fate--"fix our flints," as backwoodsmen are fond of +putting it!--but then, was not the opportunity unsought--quite +accidental? Would it not be utterly absurd, as well as disingenuous, to +pass her and pretend not to see her, with his botanical box full of her +own favourite plants and flowers? + +Love is proverbially blind. The argument was more than sufficient. He +shut his eyes, metaphorically, and rushed upon his fate. + +Milly heard him rushing--in reality, walking--and knew his step! +Another instance of the amazing--well--She started up in some confusion, +just in time to appear as if engaged in viewing with interest the +majestic landscape spread out before her. Swooping downwards, and +hovering overhead on grand expanded pinions, the eagle seemed to watch +with keen interest the result of this meeting. + +"Pardon this intrusion, Miss Moss. I really did not know you were in +this neighbourhood till a few minutes ago," said Barret, sitting down on +the heather beside her. "I accidentally observed you, and I have been +so very fortunate in finding rare plants this morning, that I thought I +might venture, just for a few minutes, to interrupt the privacy of your +picnic. See, here!" he added, taking off the botanical box and opening +it; "just look at all this!" + +"It is _very_ kind of you to take so much trouble on my account, Mr +Barret," said Milly, becoming deeply, almost too deeply-interested in +the plants. "And, oh, _what_ a splendid specimen of the heliographipod. +My dear mother will be so glad to get this, for she is quite as fond of +botany as I am." + +"Indeed! Do you expect her soon?" + +"Yes; her last letter leads me to expect her very soon now." + +Milly looked up as she said this, but there was an expression on +Barret's face which induced her instantly to recur to scientific +research. + +Now, good reader, if you think we are going further, and expect us +rudely to draw aside the curtain here, and betray confidences, you are +mistaken. But there is no reason against--indeed, the development of +our story supplies every reason in favour of--our taking note of certain +facts which bear indirectly on the subject before us. + +Far away on a shoulder of the mountain, which rose on the other side of +the valley, lying between it and the Eagle Cliff, a grey speck might +have been seen perched on a rock. Even as the crow flies the distance +was so great that the unassisted human eye could not have distinguished +what it was. It might have been a grey cow, or a grew crow, or a grey +rabbit, or a grey excrescence of the rock itself; but a telescope would +have revealed the fact that it was Allan Gordon, the laird of Kinlossie! + +Serenity was stamped on the old man's brow, for he was amiable by +nature, and he had been rendered more amiable that morning by having had +a pleasant chat, while ascending the mountain, with Mabberly and +Jackman. The latter he had begun facetiously to style the "Woods and +Forester." The shooting party had left him there, according to previous +arrangement, and the old gentleman had seated himself on the grey rock +to rest and commune with nature for a short time, before beginning the +descent of the steep mountain path, and wending his way homeward. + +From his commanding point of observation the entire range of the Eagle +Cliff lay spread out before him, with the sea visible on the extreme of +either hand. The great valley lay between, with impassable gulfs and +gorges caused by its wild torrents, and its level patches, strewn with +the fallen _debris_ of ages, out of which the larger masses of rock rose +like islands in a grey ocean; but these huge masses became almost +insignificant, owing to the overpowering impression of the cliff itself. +For some time the laird gazed at it in silent admiration. Presently a +smile beamed on his countenance. + +"Ha! my puss, is that you?" he muttered, as he took a binocular +telescope from his pocket and adjusted it. "I guessed as much. The +Eagle Cliff has powerful attractions for you, what with its grandeur and +the `rare plants' you are so mad about. I _think_ it is _you_, though +at such a distance I might easily mistake a sheep or a deer for you-- +and, after all, that would be no mistake, for you _are_ a dear!" + +He did not condescend to smile at his own mild little joke, as he +applied the telescope to his eyes. + +"Yes, I'm right--and very comfortable you seem too, though I can't make +out your party. Both Aggy and Junkie seem to have left you. Perhaps +the rocks may hide them. It's so far off that--hallo!" + +A sudden frown clouded the laird's face as he gave vent to that hallo. + +"The rascal!" he muttered between his compressed lips. "He heard at +breakfast, as well as the rest of us, that Milly wanted no intruders. +Humph! I had given him credit for better taste than this implies. Eh! +come, sir, this is quite inexcusable!" + +The laird became excited as he continued to gaze, and his indignation +deepened as he hastily wiped the glasses of the binocular. Applying +them again to his eyes, his frown became still darker. + +"For shame, you young scamp!" he continued to mutter, "taking advantage +of your contemptible botany to bring your two heads together in a way +that Milly would never have permitted _but_ for that ridiculous science. +Ha! they've let the whole concern fall--serves 'em right--and--no! +dropped it on purpose. What! Do you _dare_ to grip my niece's hand, +and--and--she lets you! Eh! your arm round--Stop!" shouted the wrathful +man, springing up and almost hurling his binocular at the unconscious +pair. But his shout, although fifty times louder, would have failed to +cross the valley. Like his anger, it was unavailing. Thrusting the +glass into its case with a bang, he strode down the mountain-side in +rampant fury, leaving the solemn eagle to watch the lovers as they +plighted their troth under the mighty cliff. Happily they brought the +momentous transaction to a close just before Junkie and the highly +convalescent Aggy Anderson re-appeared upon the scene. + +That afternoon, before dinner, John Barret asked Mr Gordon to accord +him the pleasure of a private interview in the library. + +"Certainly, sir," said the laird sternly; "and all the more that I had +very much desired some private conversation with _you_." + +Barret was not a little surprised at the old man's tone and manner, but +took no notice of it, and went alone with him into the library, where he +made a full and frank confession of his love for Milly, and of his +having proposed to her and been accepted--on condition that her mother +did not object. + +"And now, Mr Gordon," added the youth, earnestly, "I have come to +apologise to you, to ask your forgiveness, in fact, and to express my +extreme regret at the precipitancy of my conduct. It had been my full +intention, I do assure you, to wait until I had Mrs Moss' sanction to +pay my addresses to her daughter, but a--a--sudden opportunity, which I +had not sought for or expected--for, of course, I knew nothing of the +place where the picnic was to be--this--this--opportunity, I say, took +me by surprise, and threw me off my guard--and--and--in short, love--Oh! +_you_ know well enough the power of love, Mr Gordon, and can make +allowance for my acting precipitately!" + +The old gentleman was touched on a tenderer spot than the young man was +aware of when he made this appeal to his own experience, for, in days +gone by, young Allan Gordon had himself acted precipitately. + +But, although the appeal had touched him, he did not allow the fact to +be seen, nor did he interrupt the youth's confession. + +"Observe, Mr Gordon," continued Barret, drawing himself up slightly, +"the only wrong-doing for which I ask pardon is undue haste. My +position, financially and otherwise, entitles me to marry, and darling +Milly has a right to accept whom she will. If it be thought that she is +too young and does not know her own mind, I am willing to wait. If she +were to change her mind in the meantime, I would accept the inevitable-- +but I have no fear of _that_!" + +The laird's features had been relaxing while the enthusiastic youth +proceeded, but the last speech upset his gravity altogether. + +"Well, well, Barret," he said, "since you have condemned yourself for +acting hastily, it would ill become your host to overwhelm you with +reproaches, and to say truth, after what you have said, I hope that the +course of true love will in your case run smooth. But, my young +friend," he added, in more serious tones, "I must strictly forbid any +further reference to this with Milly, till her mother comes. She is +under my care and, being responsible for her, I must see that nothing +further takes place till I am able to hand her, and all her affairs, +over to her mother. I will explain this to Milly, and give her to +understand that you will behave to her in all respects as you did before +the occurrence of this unfortunate picnic. Meanwhile it may comfort you +to know that her mother is already predisposed in your favour--naturally +too, for she would be ungrateful, as well as eccentric, if she had no +regard for the man who has twice saved her child's life. Ah! there goes +the dinner-bell, and I'm glad of it, for prolonged speaking fatigues me. +Come along." + + + +CHAPTER THIRTEEN. + +A CHAPTER OF CATASTROPHES. + +It was the very next day after the conversation in the library that the +waggonette was sent over to Cove to meet the steamer and fetch Mrs +Moss, who was expected to arrive. As Ian Anderson and Donald with the +ragged head had to return home that day, they were offered a lift by +their friend Roderick. + +"I wad raither waalk, Rodereek," said Ian; "but I dar' say I may as weel +tak a lift as far as the Cluff; chump up, Tonal'." + +Donald was not slow to obey. Although active and vigorous as a mountain +goat, he had no objection to repose under agreeable conditions. + +"What think ye o' the keeper _this_ time, Rodereek?" asked the boatman +as they drove away. + +"Oo, it wull be the same as last time," answered the groom. "He'll haud +on for a while, an' then he wull co pack like the soo to her wallowin' +i' the mire." + +"I doubt ye're richt," returned Ian, with a solemn shake of the head. +"He's an unstiddy character, an' he hes naither the fear o' Cod nor man +pefore his eyes. But he's a plees'nt man when he likes." + +"Oo, ay, but there iss not in him the wull to give up the trink. He hes +given it up more than wance before, an' failed. He will co from pad to +worse in my opinion. There iss no hope for him, I fear." + +"Fery likely," and on the strength of that opinion Ian drew a flask from +his pocket, and the two cronies had what the groom called a "tram" +together. + +Farther up the steep road they overtook John Barret and Giles Jackman, +who saluted them with pleasant platitudes about the weather as they +passed. Curiously enough, these two chanced to be conversing on the +very subject that had engaged the thoughts of Ian and the groom. + +"They say this is not the first time that poor Ivor has dashed his +bottle to pieces," said Barret. "I fear it has become a disease in this +case, and that he has lost the power of self-control. From all I hear I +have little hope of him. It is all the more sad that he seems to have +gained the affections of that poor little girl, Aggy Anderson." + +"Indeed!" exclaimed Giles, laughing; "a fellow-feeling makes you +wondrous sharp, I suppose, for I had not observed that interesting fact. +But why do you speak in such pitiful tones of Aggy?" + +"Because she is an invalid, and her lover is a drunkard. Sufficient +reasons, I should think." + +"No, not quite, because she has almost recovered her usual health while +here, and poor Ivor is, after all, only one of the sinners for whom +Jesus Christ died. I have great hopes of him." + +"I'm glad to hear you say so, Jackman, though I don't see that the fact +of our Saviour's dying for us all proves his case to be hopeful. Are +there not hundreds of men of whom the same may be said, yet they are not +delivered from drunkenness, and don't seem likely to be?" + +"That is unquestionably true," rejoined his friend; "but such men as you +refer to have not been brought to the condition of renouncing self, and +trusting _only_ in our Saviour. They want to have some credit in the +matter of their own salvation--hence they fail. Ivor, I have good +reason to believe, _has_ been brought to that condition--a condition +which insures success--hence my great hopes of him. I became aware of +his state of mind, partly from having had a long talk with him the other +day, and partly from the report of his good old mother. She told me +yesterday that Ivor had come to her, laid his hand on her shoulder, and +said, `Mither, I've lost all hope o' mysel' noo,' to which the old woman +answered, `That's the best news I've heard for mony a day, my son, for +noo the Lord wull let ye see what He can do for ye.' Ivor's reply to +that was, `I believe ye're richt, mither.' Now I think that was a great +deal to come from two such undemonstrative Celts." + +At this point in the conversation they reached a part of the road where +a footpath diverged down to the river, the road itself rising abruptly +towards the Eagle Cliff. + +"We separate here," said Jackman. "I need scarcely ask where you are +going, or what going to do! Botany, coupled with inaccessible cliffs, +seems to be your mania just now. Oh! John Barret, my friend, may I not +with truth, in your case, paraphrase a well-known couplet,-- + + "Milly in the heart breeds Milly in the brain, + And this reciprocally that again?" + +"Your paraphrases are about equal to your compositions, Jackman, and, in +saying that, I don't compliment you. Pray, may I ask why you have +forsaken your favourite weapon, the gun, and taken to the rod to-day?" + +"Because of amiability--pure and simple. You know I don't care a rush +for fishing, but, to my surprise, this morning MacRummle expressed a +wish to try my repeating rifle at the rabbits, and offered to let me try +his rod, and--I might almost add--his river. Wasn't it generous of him? +So I'm off to have a try for `that salmon,' and he is off no one knows +where, to send the terrified rabbits into their holes. Good-bye, old +fellow--a pleasant day to you." + +Left alone, Barret began to devote himself to the cliffs. It was +arduous work, for the said cliffs were almost perpendicular, and plants +grew in such high-up crevices, and on such un-get-at-able places, that +it seemed as if "rare specimens" knew their own value, as well as the +great demand for them, and selected their habitations accordingly. + +It was pleasant work, and our hero revelled in it! To be in such +exceptional circumstances, with the grand cliffs above and below him, +with no one near, save the lordly eagle himself, to watch his doings, +with the wild sweeps of mountain-land everywhere, clothed with bracken, +heather, and birch, and backed by the island-studded sea; with the fresh +air and the bright sun, and brawling burns, and bleating sheep, and the +objects of his favourite science around him, and the strong muscular +frame and buoyant spirits that God had given to enable him to enjoy it +all, was indeed enough to arouse a feeling of gratitude and enthusiasm; +but when, in addition to this, the young man knew that he was not merely +botanising on his own account, but working at it for Milly, he felt as +though he had all but attained to the topmost pinnacle of felicity! + +It is sad to think that in human affairs this condition is not +unfrequently the precursor of misfortune. It is not necessarily so. +Happily, it is not always so. Indeed, we would fain hope that it is not +often so, but it was so on this occasion. + +Barret had about half filled his botanical box with what he believed to +be an interesting collection of plants that would cause the eyes of +Milly Moss to sparkle, when the position of the sun and internal +sensations induced him to think of his midday meal. It was tied up in a +little square paper package. There was a spring at the bottom of the +cliffs. It was near the stone where he had met Milly, and had given way +to precipitancy. Not far from the spot also where he had made Milly up +into a bundle, with a plaid, and started with her towards Kinlossie. No +place could be better than that for his solitary luncheon. He would go +there. + +Descending the cliffs, he gained the road, and was walking along towards +the selected spot, when the sound of wheels arrested him. Looking up, +he saw the waggonette turn sharp round the projecting cliff, and +approach him at a walk. He experienced a little depression of spirit, +for there was no one in it, only the groom on the box. Milly would be +sorely disappointed! + +"Mrs Moss has not come, I see," he said, as the groom reined up. + +"Oo, ay, sir, she's come. But she iss a queer leddy. She's been +chumpin' in an' oot o' the waginette a' the way up, like a whutret, to +admire the scenery, as she says. When we cam' to the heed o' the pass +she chumped oot again, an' telt me to drive on slow, an wait at the futt +o' the first hull for her. She's no far ahint." + +"I'll go and meet her. You can drive on, slowly." + +Barret hurried forward with feelings of considerable uncertainty as to +whether this chance of meeting his mother-in-law to be (he hoped!) +alone, and in these peculiar circumstances, would be an advantage or +otherwise. She might be annoyed by a sudden interruption in "admiring +the scenery." There would be the awkwardness of having to introduce +himself, and she might be fatigued after all her "chumpin'" in and out +of the waggonette. + +He was still pondering these points while he walked smartly forward, +turned the projecting cliff above referred to, and all but overturned +the identical little old lady whom he had run down on his bicycle, weeks +before, in London! + +To say that these two drew back and gazed at each other intently--the +lady quivering and pale, the youth aghast and red--is to give but a +feeble account of the situation. + +"Young man," she said, indignantly, in a low, repressed voice, "you have +a peculiar talent for assaulting ladies." + +"Madam," explained the youth, growing desperate, "you are right. I +certainly have a talent--at least a misfortune--of that sort--" + +He stopped short, for, being quite overwhelmed, he knew not what to say. + +"It is sad," continued the little old lady in a tone of contempt, "that +a youth like you should so much belie your looks. It was so mean of you +to run away without a word of apology, just like a bad little boy, for +fear of being scolded--not that I cared much for being run down with +that horrid bicycle, for I was not hurt--though I _might_ have been +killed--but it was the cowardly way in which you left me lying helpless +among bakers, and sweeps, and policemen, and dirty boys. Oh! it was +disgraceful." + +Poor Barret became more and more overwhelmed as she went on. + +"Spare me, madam," he cried, in desperation. "Oh; if you only knew what +I have suffered on your account since that unlucky day! Believe me, it +was not cowardice--well, I cannot say that exactly--but it was not the +fear of your just reproaches that made me fly. It was the approach of +the police, and the fear of being taken up, and a public trial, and the +disgrace of--of--and--then I felt ashamed before I had fled more than a +few hundred yards, and I returned to the spot, but you were gone, and I +had no means of--of--" + +"That will do, young man. There is no need to keep me standing in this +wild place. You are living somewhere in this neighbourhood, I suppose?" + +"Yes. I am living in the neighbourhood," said Barret bitterly. + +"Well, I am going to stay at Kinlossie House. You know Kinlossie House, +I suppose?" + +"Oh, yes, I know it." + +"There is no occasion to look so fierce or bitter, young sir. I am +going to be at Kinlossie for some time. If you choose to call there, I +shall be ready to listen to your explanations and apologies, for I have +no desire to appear either harsh or unforgiving. Meanwhile, I wish you +good morning." + +Saying which, and with a sweeping bow of a rather antiquated style, the +offended lady passed on. + +For a considerable time Barret stood motionless, with folded arms, +"admiring the scenery" with a stony stare. A stone about the size of +his fist lay at his foot. He suddenly kicked that violently into space. +Had it been the size of his head, he would probably not have kicked it! +Then he gave vent to a wild laugh, became suddenly grave, thrust his +hands deep into his pockets, and walked up the road with clenched teeth +and a deadly stride. + +Mrs Moss heard the laugh as it echoed among the great cliffs. + +"What a dreadful young man!" she muttered, hurrying forward. + +She thought of asking her driver who he was, but she had found Roderick +to be a very taciturn Highlander. He had not shown much disposition to +converse on the way up, and his speech had not been very intelligible to +her English--or Anglicised--ears. She re-entered the waggonette, +therefore, in silence. Roderick drove on also in silence, although much +surprised that the "young shentleman" had not returned with the "leddy." +But that was none of his business "what-e-ver." + +As the little old lady brooded over the matter, she resolved to say +nothing of the meeting to Milly. She happened to possess a spice of +humour, and thought it might be well to wait until the youth should +call, and then, after forgiveness sought and obtained, introduce him at +Kinlossie as the young man who ran her down in London! + +Meanwhile Barret walked himself into a better state of mind, clambered +to a nook on the face of one of the cliffs, and sat down to meditate and +consider what was best to be done. + +Although he had not gone out that day to shoot, but to botanise, he +carried a light double-barrelled shot gun, in case he might get a chance +at a hare, which was always acceptable to the lady of Kinlossie. + +While the incidents just described were being enacted at the base of the +Eagle Cliff higher up, on a distant part of the same cliff, MacRummle +might have been seen prowling among the grey rocks, with the spirit of +Nimrod, and the aspect of Bacchus. + +It was the habit of MacRummle, being half blind, to supplement his +vision with that peculiar kind of glasses which support--or refuse to +support--themselves on the human countenance by means of the nose. +These, although admirably adapted for reading, and even for quietly +fishing by the river-side, he found to be miserably unsuited for +sporting among the cliffs, for they were continually tumbling off as he +stumbled along, or were twitched off by his rifle when he was in the act +of making false points. + +Perseverance was, however, the strong point in the old man's character-- +if it had a strong point at all. He replaced the glasses perpetually, +and kept pointing persistently. He did little more than point, because +the thing that he pointed at, whatever it was, usually got out of the +way before MacRummle obtained a reliable aim. With a shot gun he might +have done better, for that weapon admits of snap-shooting, with some +chance of success, even in feeble hands. But the old man was ambitious. +His object was to "pot" something, as he expressed it, with a single +ball. Of course it was not all pointing. He did fire occasionally, +with no other result than awaking the echoes and terrifying the rabbits. +But the memory of his former success with the same weapon was strong +upon him, and perseverance, as we have said, was rampant. On the whole, +the fusillade that he kept up was considerable, much to the amusement of +Barret (before meeting Mrs Moss!), who rightly guessed the cause of all +the noise. + +About midday, like Barret, he prepared to comfort himself with lunch, +and, unlike our unfortunate hero, he enjoyed it in comfort, sitting on a +green patch or terrace, high up near the summit of the cliffs, and a +full mile distant from the spot where the peculiar meeting took place. + +Like a giant refreshed MacRummle rose from lunch, a good deal more like +Bacchus, and much less like Nimrod. A rabbit had been watching him from +the cliff above nearly all the time he was eating. It moved quietly +into its burrow when he rose, though there was no occasion to do so, +because, although within easy rifle shot, MacRummle did not see it. +When the sportsman was past, the rabbit came out and looked after him. + +Fixing his glasses firmly he advanced in that stooping posture, with the +rifle at the "ready," which is so characteristic of keen sportsmen! +Next moment a rabbit stood before him--an easy shot. It sat up on its +hind legs even, as if inviting its fate, and gazed as though uncertain +whether the man was going to advance or not. He did not advance, but +took a steady, deadly aim, and was on the point of pulling the trigger +when the glasses dropped off. + +MacRummle was wonderfully patient. He said nothing. He merely replaced +his glasses and looked. The rabbit was gone. Several surrounding +rabbits saw it go, but did not follow its example. They evidently felt +themselves safe. + +Proceeding cautiously onward, the sportsman again caught sight of one of +the multitude that surrounded him. It was seated on the edge of its +burrow, ready for retreat. Alas! for that rabbit, if MacRummle had been +an average shot, armed with a shot gun. But it was ignorant, and with +the characteristic presumption of ignorance, it sat still. The +sportsman took a careful and long--very long--aim, and fired! The +rabbit's nose pointed to the world's centre, its tail to the sky, and +when the smoke cleared away, it also was gone. + +"Fallen into its hole! Dead, I suppose," was the remark with which the +sportsman sought to comfort himself. A bullet-mark on a rock, however, +two feet to the left of the hole, and about a foot too high, shook his +faith a little in this view. + +It was impossible, however, that a man should expend so much ammunition +in a region swarming with his particular prey without experiencing +something in the shape of a fluke. He did, after a time, get one shot +which was effectual. A young rabbit sat on the top of a mound looking +at him with an air of impudence which is sometimes associated with +extreme youth. A fat old kinsman--or woman--was seated in a hollow some +distance farther on. MacRummle fired at the young one, missed it, and +shot the kinsman through the heart. The disappointment of the old man +when he failed to find the young one, and his joy on discovering the +kinsman, we leave to the reader's imagination. + +Thus he went on, occasionally securing something for the pot, +continually alarming the whole rabbit fraternity, and disgusting the +eagle, which watched him from a safe distance in the ambient atmosphere +above. + +By degrees he worked his way along till he came to the neighbourhood of +the place where poor John Barret sat in meditative dejection. Although +near, however, the two friends could neither see nor get at each other, +being separated by an impassable gulf--the one being in a crevice, as we +have said, not far from the foot of the cliff, the other hidden among +the crags near the summit. Thus it came to pass that although Barret +knew of MacRummle's position by his noise, the latter was quite ignorant +of the presence of the former. + +"This is horrible!" muttered the youth in his crevice below. + +"Now I call this charming!" exclaimed the old man on his perch above. + +Such is life--viewed from different standpoints! Ay, and correctly +estimated, too, according to these different standpoints; for the old +man saw only the sunny surrounding of the Present, while the young one +gazed into the gloomy wreck of the Future. + +Being somewhat fatigued, MacRummle betook himself to a sequestered ledge +among the cliffs, and sat down under a shrub to rest. It chanced to be +a well concealed spot. He remained quietly there for a considerable +time, discussing with himself the relative advantages of fishing and +shooting. It is probable that his sudden disappearance and his +prolonged absence induced the eagle to imagine that he had gone away, +for that watchful bird, after several circlings on outstretched and +apparently motionless wings, made a magnificent swoop downwards, and +again resumed its floating action in the lower strata of its atmospheric +world. There it devoted its exclusive attention to the young man, whose +position was clearly exposed to its view. + +As he sat there in gloomy thought, Barret chanced to raise his eyes, and +observed the bird high above him--far out of gunshot. + +"Fortunate creature!" he said aloud; "whatever may be the troubles of +your lot, you are at least safe from exasperating _rencontres_ with your +future mother-in-law!" + +We need not point out to the intelligent reader that Barret, being quite +ignorant of the eagle's domestic relations, indulged in mere assumptions +in the bitterness of his soul. + +He raised his fowling-piece as he spoke, and took a long, deliberate aim +at the bird. + +"Far beyond range," he said, lowering the gun again; "but even if you +were only four yards from the muzzle, I would not fire, poor bird! Did +not Milly say you were noble, and that it would be worse than murder to +kill you? No, you are safe from me, at all events, even if you were not +so wary as to keep yourself safe from everybody. And yet, methinks, if +MacRummle were still up there, he would have the chance of giving you a +severe fright, though he has not the skill to bring you down." + +Now it is well-known to trappers and backwoodsmen generally that the +most wary of foxes, which cannot by any means be caught by one trap, may +sometimes be circumvented by two traps. It is the same with decoys, +whether these be placed intentionally, or place themselves accidentally. +On this occasion Barret acted the part of a decoy, all unwittingly to +that eagle or to MacRummle. + +In its extreme interest in the youth's proceedings the great bird soared +straight over his head, and slowly approached the old man's position. +MacRummle was not on the alert. He never was on the alert! but his eyes +chanced to be gazing in the right direction, and his glasses happened to +be on. He saw it coming--something big and black! He grasped his +repeater and knocked his glasses off. + +"A raven, I think! I'll try it. I should like it as a trophy--a sort +of memorial of--" + +Bang! + +The man who was half blind, who had scarcely used gun or rifle all his +life, achieved that which dead shots and ardent sportsmen had tried in +vain for years--he shot the eagle right through the heart, and that, +too, with a single bullet! + +Straight down it fell with a tremendous flutter, and disappeared over +the edge of its native cliff. + +MacRummle went on his knees, and, craning his neck, replaced his +glasses; but nothing whatever could be seen, save the misty void below. +Shrinking back from the giddy position, he rose and pulled out his +watch. + +"Let me see," he muttered, "it will take me a full hour to go round so +as to reach the bottom. No; too late. I'll go home, and send the +keeper for it in the morning. The eagle may have picked its bones by +that time, to be sure; but after all, a raven is not much of a trophy." + +While he was thus debating, a very different scene was taking place +below. + +Barret had been gazing up at the eagle when the shot was fired. He saw +the spout of smoke. He heard the crashing shot and echoes, and beheld +the eagle descending like a thunder-bolt. After that he saw and heard +no more, for, in reaching forward to see round a projecting rock that +interfered with his vision, his foot slipped, and he fell headlong from +the cliff. He had not far to fall, indeed, and a whin bush broke the +force of the shock when he did strike; but he was rendered insensible, +and rolled down the remainder of the slope to the bottom. There he lay +bruised, bleeding, and motionless on the grass, close to the road, with +his bent and broken gun beneath him, and the dead eagle not more than a +dozen yards from his side! + +"It is not like Barret to be late," observed the laird that evening, as +he consulted his watch. "He is punctuality itself, as a rule. He must +have fallen in with some unusually interesting plants. But we can't +wait. Order dinner, my dear, for I'm sure that my sister must be very +hungry after her voyage." + +"Indeed I am," returned the little old lady, with a peculiar smile. +"Sea-sickness is the best tonic I know of, but it is an awful medicine +to take." + +"Almost as good as mountain air," remarked MacRummle, as they filed out +of the drawing-room. "I do wish I had managed to bring that raven +home." + +At first the party at dinner was as merry as usual. The sportsmen were +graphic in recounting the various incidents of the day; Mrs Moss was +equally graphic on the horrors of the sea; MacRummle was eulogistic of +repeating rifles, and inclined to be boastful about the raven, which he +hoped to show them on the morrow, while Milly proved herself, as usual, +a beautiful and interested listener, as well as a most hearty laugher. + +But as the feast went on they became less noisy. Then a feeling of +uneasiness manifested itself, but no one ventured to suggest that +anything might have occurred to the absentee until the evening had +deepened into night. Then the laird started up suddenly. "Something +_must_ have happened to our friend," he exclaimed, at the same time +ringing the bell violently. "He has never been late before, and however +far he may have gone a-field, there has been more than time for him to +return at his slowest pace. Duncan," (as the butler entered), "turn out +all the men and boys as fast as you can. Tell Roderick to get lanterns +ready--as many as you have. Gentlemen, we must all go on this search +without another moment's delay!" + +There is little need to say that Barret's friends and comrades were not +slow to respond to the call. In less than a quarter of an hour they +were dispersed, searching every part of the Eagle Cliff, where he had +been last seen by Giles Jackman. + +They found him at last, pale and blood-stained, making ineffectual +efforts to crawl from the spot where he had fallen, both the eagle and +the broken gun being found beside him. + +"No bones broken, thank God!" said Giles, after having examined him and +bound up his wounds. "But he is too weak to be questioned. Now, lads, +fetch the two poles and the plaid. I'll soon contrive a litter." + +"All right, old fellow! God bless you!" said Barret, faintly, as his +friend bent over him. + +Roderick and Ivor raised him softly, and, with the eagle at his side, +bore him towards Kinlossie House. Soon after, their heavy tramp was +heard in the hall as they carried him to his room, and laid him gently +in bed. + + + +CHAPTER FOURTEEN. + +SUSPICIONS, REVELATIONS, AND OTHER MATTERS. + +With a swelled and scratched face, a discoloured eye, a damaged nose, +and a head swathed in bandages--it is no wonder that Mrs Moss failed to +recognise in John Barret the violent young man with the talent for +assaulting ladies! + +She was not admitted to his room until nearly a week after the accident, +for, although he had not been seriously injured, he had received a +rather severe shock, and it was thought advisable to keep him quiet as a +matter of precaution. When she did see him at last, lying on a sofa in +a dressing-gown, and with his head and face as we have described, his +appearance did not call to her remembrance the faintest resemblance to +the confused, wild, and altogether incomprehensible youth, who had +tumbled her over in the streets of London, and almost run her down in +the Eagle Pass. + +Of course Barret feared that she would recognise him, and had been +greatly exercised as to his precise duty in the circumstances; but when +he found that she did not recognise either his face or his voice, he +felt uncertain whether it would not be, perhaps, better to say nothing +at all about the matter in the meantime. Indeed, the grateful old lady +gave him no time to make a "clean breast of it," as he had at first +intended to do. + +"Oh! Mr Barret," she exclaimed, sitting down beside him, and laying +her hand lightly on his arm, while the laird sat down on another chair +and looked on benignly, "I cannot tell you how thankful I am that you +have not been killed, and how very grateful I am to you for all your +bravery in saving my darling Milly's life. Now, don't say a word about +disclaiming credit, as I know you are going to do--" + +"But, dear madam," interrupted the invalid, "allow me to explain. I +cannot bear to deceive you, or to sail under false colours--" + +"Sail under false colours! Explain!" repeated Mrs Moss, quickly. +"What nonsense do you talk? Has not my daughter explained, and _she_ is +not given to colouring things falsely." + +"Excuse me, Mrs Moss," said Barret; "I did not mean that. I only--" + +"I don't care what you mean, Mr Barret," said the positive little +woman; "it's of no use your denying that you have behaved in a noble, +courageous manner, and I won't listen to anything to the contrary; so +you need not interrupt me. Besides, I have been told not to allow you +to speak much; so, sir, if I am to remain beside you at all, I must +impose silence." + +Barret sank back on his couch with a sigh, and resigned himself to his +fate. + +So much for the mother. Later in the same day the daughter sat beside +his couch. The laird was not present on that occasion. They were +alone. + +"Milly," said the invalid, taking her small hand in his, "have you +mentioned it yet to your mother?" + +"Yes, John," replied Milly, blushing in spite of--nay, rather more in +consequence of--her efforts not to do so. "I spoke to her some days +ago. Indeed, soon after the accident, when we were sure you were going +to get well. And she did not disapprove." + +"Ay, but have you spoken since she has seen me--since this morning?" + +"Yes, John." + +"And she is still of the same mind--not shocked or shaken by my +appearance?" + +"She is still of the same mind," returned Milly; "and not shocked in the +least. My darling mother is far too wise to be shocked by trifles--I--I +mean by scratches and bruises. She judges of people by their hearts." + +"I'm glad to hear that, Milly, for I have something shocking to tell her +about myself, that will surprise her, if it does nothing else." + +"Indeed!" said Milly, with the slightest possible rise of her pretty +eyebrows. + +"Yes. You have heard from your mother about that young rascal who ran +into her with his bicycle in London some time ago?" + +"Yes; she wrote to me about it," replied Milly, with an amused smile. +"You mean, I suppose, the reckless youth who, after running her down, +had the cowardice to run away and leave her lying flat on the pavement? +Mother has more than once written about that event with indignation, and +rightly, I think. But how came you to know about it, John?" + +"Milly," said Barret, holding her hand very tight, and speaking +solemnly, "_I am that cowardly man_!" + +"Now, John, you are jesting." + +"Indeed--indeed I am not." + +"Do you really mean to say that it was _you_ who ran against my--Oh! you +_must_ be jesting!" + +"Again I say I am _not_. I am the man--the coward." + +"Well, dear John," said Milly, flushing considerably, "I must believe +you; but the fact does not in the least reduce my affection for you, +though it will lower my belief in your prudence, unless you can +explain." + +"I will explain," said Barret; and we need scarcely add that the +explanation tended rather to increase than diminish Milly's affection +for, as well as her belief in, her lover! But when Barret went on +further to describe the meeting in the Eagle Pass, she went off into +uncontrollable laughter. + +"And you are sure that mother has no idea that you are the man?" she +asked. + +"Not the remotest." + +"Well, now, John, you must not let her know for some time yet. You must +gain her affections, sir, before you venture to reveal your true +character." + +Of course Barret agreed to this. He would have agreed to anything that +Milly proposed, except, perhaps, the giving up of his claim to her own +hand. Deception, however, invariably surrounds the deceiver with more +or less of difficulty. That same evening, while Milly was sitting alone +with her mother, the conversation took a perplexing turn. + +There had been a pretty long pause, after a rather favourable commentary +on the character of Barret, when the thin little old lady had wound up +with the observation that the subject of their criticism was a +remarkably agreeable man, with a playfully humorous and a delightfully +serious turn of mind--"and _so_ modest" withal! + +Apparently the last words had turned her mind into the new channel, for +she resumed-- + +"Talking of insolence, my dear--" + +"_Were_ we talking of insolence, mother?" said Milly, with a surprised +smile. + +"Well, my love, I was thinking of the opposite of modesty, which is the +same thing. Do you know, I had a meeting on the day of my arrival here +which surprised me very much? To say truth, I did not mention it +sooner, because I wished to give you a little surprise. Why do you +change your seat, my love? Did you feel a draught where you were?" + +"No--no. I--I only want to get the light a little more at my back--to +keep it off my face. But go on, mother. What was the surprise about? +I'm anxious to know." + +If Milly did not absolutely know, she had at least a pretty good idea of +what was coming! + +"Well, of course you remember about that young man--that--that +_cowardly_ young man who--" + +"Who ran you down in London? Yes, yes, _I_ know," interrupted the +daughter, endeavouring to suppress a laugh, and putting her handkerchief +suddenly to her face. "I remember well. The monster! What about him?" + +"You may well call him a monster! Can you believe it? I have met him +here--in this very island, where he must be living somewhere, of course; +and he actually ran me down again--all _but_." She added the last two +words in order to save her veracity. + +"You don't really mean it?" exclaimed Milly, giving way a little in +spite of herself. "With a bicycle?" + +It was the mother's turn to laugh now. + +"No, you foolish thing; even _I_ have capacity to understand that it +would be impossible to use those hideous--frightful instruments, on the +bad hill-roads of this island. No; but it seems to be the nature of +this dis-disagreeable--I had almost said detestable--youth, to move only +under violent impulse, for he came round a corner of the Eagle Cliff at +such a pace that, as I have said, he _all but_ ran into my arms and +knocked me down." + +"Dreadful!" exclaimed Milly, turning her back still more to the light +and working mysteriously with her kerchief. + +"Yes, dreadful indeed! And when I naturally taxed him with his +cowardice and meanness, he did not seem at all penitent, but went on +like a lunatic; and although what he said was civil enough, his way of +saying it was very impolite and strange; and after we had parted, I +heard him give way to fiendish laughter. I could not be mistaken, for +the cliffs echoed it in all directions like a hundred hyenas!" + +As this savoured somewhat of a joke, Milly availed herself of it, set +free the safety-valve, and, so to speak, saved the boiler! + +"Why do you laugh so much, child?" asked the old lady, when her daughter +had transgressed reasonable limits. + +"Well, you know, mother, if you _will_ compare a man's laugh to a +hundred hyenas--" + +"I didn't compare the man's voice," interrupted Mrs Moss; "I said that +the cliffs--" + +"That's worse and worse! Now, mother, don't get into one of your +hypercritical moods, and insist on reasons for everything; but tell me +about this wicked--this dreadful young man. What was he like?" + +"Like an ordinary sportsman, dear, with one of those hateful guns in his +hand, and a botanical box on his back. I could not see his face very +well, for he wore one of those ugly pot-caps, with a peak before and +behind; though what the behind one is for I cannot imagine, as men have +no eyes in the back of their heads to keep the sun out of. No doubt +some men would make us believe they have! but it was pulled down on the +bridge of his nose. What I did see of his face seemed to be handsome +enough, and his figure was tall and well made, unquestionably, but his +behaviour--nothing can excuse that! If he had only said he was sorry, +one might have forgiven him." + +"Did he _not_ say he was sorry?" asked Milly in some surprise. + +"Oh, well, I suppose he did; and begged pardon after a fashion. But +what truth could there be in his protestations when he went away and +laughed like a hyena." + +"You said a hundred hyenas, mother." + +"No, Milly, I said the cliffs laughed; but don't interrupt me, you +naughty child! Well, I was going to tell you that my heart softened a +little towards the young man, for, as you know, I am not naturally +unforgiving." + +"I know it well, dear mother!" + +"So, before we parted, I told him that if he had any explanations or +apologies to make, I should be glad to see him at Kinlossie House. Then +I made up my mind to forgive him, and introduce him to you as the man +that ran me down in London! This was the little surprise I had in store +for you, but the ungrateful creature has never come." + +"No, and he never will come!" said Milly, with a hearty laugh. + +"How do you know that, puss?" asked Mrs Moss, in surprise. + +Fortunately the dinner-bell rang at that moment, justifying Milly in +jumping up. Giving her mother a rather violent hug, she rushed from the +room. + +"Strange girl!" muttered Mrs Moss as she turned, and occupied herself +with some mysterious--we might almost say captious--operations before +the looking-glass. "The mountain air seems to have increased her +spirits wonderfully. Perhaps love has something to do with it! It may +be both!" + +She was still engaged with a subtle analysis of this question--in front +of the glass, which gave her the advantage of supposing that she talked +with an opponent--when sudden and uproarious laughter was heard in the +adjoining room. It was Barret's sitting-room, in which his friends were +wont to visit him. She could distinguish that the laughter proceeded +from himself, Milly, and Giles Jackman, though the walls were too thick +to permit of either words or ordinary tones being heard. + +"Milly," said Mrs Moss, severely, when they met a few minutes later in +the drawing-room, "what were you two and Mr Jackman laughing at so +loudly? Surely you did not tell them what we had been speaking about?" + +"Of course I did, mother. I did not know you intended to keep the +matter secret. And it did so tickle them! But no one else knows it, so +I will run back to John and pledge him to secrecy. You can caution Mr +Jackman, who will be down directly, no doubt." + +As Barret had not at that time recovered sufficiently to admit of his +going downstairs, his friends were wont to spend much of their time in +the snug sitting-room which had been apportioned to him. He usually +held his levees costumed in a huge flowered dressing-gown, belonging to +the laird, so that, although he began to look more like his former self, +as he recovered from his injuries, he was still sufficiently disguised +to prevent recognition on the part of Mrs Moss. + +Nevertheless, the old lady felt strangely perplexed about him. + +One day the greater part of the household was assembled in his room when +Mrs Moss remarked on this curious feeling. + +"I cannot tell what it is, Mr Barret, that makes the sound of your +voice seem familiar to me," she said; "yet not exactly familiar, but a +sort of far-away echo, you know, such as one might have heard in a +dream; though, after all, I don't think I ever did hear a voice in a +dream." + +Jackman and Milly glanced at each other, and the latter put the +safety-valve to her mouth while Barret replied-- + +"I don't know," he said, with a very grave appearance of profound +thought, "that I ever myself dreamt a voice, or, indeed, a sound of any +kind. As to what you say about some voices appearing to be familiar, +don't you think that has something to do with classes of men? No man, I +think, is a solitary unit in creation. Every man is, as it were, the +type of a class to which he belongs--each member possessing more or less +the complexion, tendencies, characteristics, tones, etcetera, of his +particular class. You are familiar, it may be, with the tones of the +class to which I belong, and hence the idea that you have heard my voice +before." + +"Philosophically put, Barret," said Mabberly; "I had no idea you thought +so profoundly." + +"H'm! I'm not so sure of the profundity," said the little old lady, +pursing her lips; "no doubt you may be right as regards class; but then, +young man, I have been familiar with all classes of men, and therefore, +according to your principle, I should have some strange memories +connected with Mr Jackman's voice, and Mr Mabberly's, and the laird's, +and everybody's." + +"Well said, sister; you have him there!" cried the laird with a guffaw; +"but don't lug me into your classes, for I claim to be an exception to +all mankind, inasmuch as I have a sister who belongs to no class, and is +ready to tackle any man on any subject whatever, between metaphysics and +baby linen. Come now, Barret, do you think yourself strong enough to go +out with us in the boat to-morrow?" + +"Quite. Indeed, I would have begged leave to go out some days ago, but +Doctor Jackman there, who is a very stern practitioner, forbids me. +However, I have my revenge, for I compel him to sit with me a great +deal, and entertain me with Indian stories." + +"Oh!" exclaimed Junkie, who happened to be in the room, "he hasn't told +you yet about the elephant hunt, has he?" + +"No, not yet, Junkie," returned Barret; "he has been faithful to his +promise not to go on with that story till you and your brothers are +present." + +"Well, but tell it now, Mr Jackman, and I'll go an call Eddie and +Archie," pleaded the boy. + +"You will call in vain, then," said his father, "for they have both gone +up the burn, one to photograph and the other to paint. I never saw such +a boy as Archie is to photograph. I believe he has got every scene in +the island worth having on his plates now, and he has taken to the +cattle of late--What think ye was the last thing he tried? I found him +in the yard yesterday trying to photograph himself!" + +"That must indeed have puzzled him; how did he manage?" asked MacRummle. + +"Well, it was ingenious. He tried to get Pat Quin to manipulate the +instrument while he sat; but Quin is clumsy with his fingers, at least +for such delicate work, and, the last time, he became nervous in his +anxiety to do the thing rightly; so, when Archie cried `Now,' for him to +cover the glass with its little cap, he put it on with a bang that +knocked over and nearly smashed the whole concern. So what does the boy +do but sets up a chair in the right focus and arranges the instrument +with a string tied to the little cap. Then he sits down on the chair, +puts on a heavenly smile, and pulls the string. Off comes the cap! He +counts one, two--I don't know how many--and then makes a sudden dash at +the camera an' shuts it up! What the result may be remains to be seen." + +"Oh, it'll be the same as usual," remarked Junkie in a tone of contempt. +"There's always something goes wrong in the middle of it. He tried to +take Boxer the other day, and _he_ wagged his tail in the middle of it. +Then he tried the cat, and she yawned in the middle. Then Flo, and she +laughed in the middle. Then me, an' I forgot, and made a face at Flo in +the middle. It's a pity it has got a middle at all; two ends would be +better, I think. But won't you tell about the elephants to _us_, Mr +Jackman? There's plenty of us here--please!" + +"Nay, Junkie; you would not have me break my word, surely. When we are +all assembled together you shall have it--some wet day, perhaps." + +"Then there'll be no more wet days _this_ year, if I've to wait for +that," returned the urchin half sulkily. + +That same day, Milly, Barret, and Jackman arranged that the mystery of +the cowardly young man must be cleared up. + +"Perhaps it would be best for Miss Moss to explain to her mother," said +Giles. + +"That will not I," said Milly with a laugh. + +"I have decided what to do," said Barret. "I was invited by her to call +and explain anything I had to say, and apologise. By looks, if not by +words, I accepted that invitation, and I shall keep it. If you could +only manage somehow, Milly, to get everybody out of the way, so that I +might find your mother alone in--" + +"She's alone _now_," said Milly. "I left her just a minute ago, and she +is not likely to be interrupted, I know." + +"Stay, then; I will return in a few minutes." + +Barret retired to his room, whence he quickly returned with shooting +coat, knickerbockers, pot-cap and boots, all complete. + +"`Richard's himself again!' Allow me to congratulate you," cried +Jackman, shaking his friend by the hand. "But, I say, don't you think +it may give the old lady rather a shock as well as a surprise?" + +Barret looked at Milly. + +"I think not," said Milly. "As uncle often says of dear mother, `she is +tough.'" + +"Well, I'll go," said Barret. + +In a few minutes he walked into the middle of the drawing-room and stood +before Mrs Moss, who was reading a book at the time. She laid down the +book, removed her glasses, and looked up. + +"Well, I declare!" she exclaimed, with the utmost elevation of her +eyebrows and distension of her eyes; "there you are at last! And you +have not even the politeness to take your hat off, or have yourself +announced. You are the most singularly ill-bred young man, for your +looks, that I ever met with." + +"I thought, madam," said Barret in a low voice, "that you would know me +better with my cap on--" + +He stopped, for the old lady had risen at the first sound of his voice, +and gazed at him in a species of incredulous alarm. + +"Forgive me," cried Barret, pulling off his cap; but again he stopped +abruptly, and, before he could spring forward to prevent it, the little +old lady had fallen flat upon the hearth-rug. + +"Quick! hallo! Milly--Giles! Ass that I am! I've knocked her down +_again_!" he shouted, as those whom he summoned burst into the room. + +They had not been far off. In a few more minutes Mrs Moss was reviving +on the sofa, and alone with her daughter. + +"Milly, dear, this has been a great surprise; indeed, I might almost +call it a shock," she said, in a faint voice. + +"Indeed it has been, darling mother," returned Milly in sympathetic +tones, as she smoothed her mother's hair; "and it was all my fault. But +are you quite sure you are not hurt?" + +"I don't _feel_ hurt, dear," returned the old lady, with a slight dash +of her argumentative tone; "and don't you think that if I _were_ hurt I +should _feel_ it?" + +"Perhaps, mother; but sometimes, you know, people are so _much_ hurt +that they _can't_ feel it." + +"True, child, but in these circumstances they are usually unable to +express their views about feeling altogether, which I am not, you see-- +no thanks to that--th-to John Barret." + +"Oh! mother, I cannot bear to think of it--" + +"No wonder," interrupted the old lady. "To think of my being violently +knocked down _twice--almost_ three times--by a big young man like that, +and the first time with a horrid bicycle on the top of us--I might +almost say mixed up with us." + +"But, mother, he _never_ meant it, you know--" + +"I should _think_ not!" interjected Mrs Moss with a short sarcastic +laugh. + +"No, indeed," continued Milly, with some warmth; "and if you only knew +what he has suffered on your account--" + +"Milly," cried Mrs Moss quickly, "is all that _I_ have suffered on +_his_ account to count for nothing?" + +"Of course not, _dear_ mother. I don't mean that; you don't understand +me. I mean the reproaches that his own conscience has heaped upon his +head for what he has inadvertently done." + +"Recklessly, child, not inadvertently. Besides, you know, his +conscience is not _himself_. People cannot avoid what conscience says +to them. Its remarks are no sign of humility or self-condemnation, one +proof of which is that wicked people would gladly get away from +conscience if they could, instead of agreeing with it, as they should, +and shaking hands with it, and saying, `we are all that you call us, and +more.'" + +"Well, that is exactly what John has done," said Milly, with increasing, +warmth. "He has said all that, and more to me--" + +"To _you_?" interrupted Mrs Moss; "yes, but you are not his conscience, +child!" + +"Yes, I am, mother; at least, if I'm not, I am next thing to it, for he +says _everything_ to me!" returned Milly, with a laugh and a blush. +"And you have no idea how sorry, how ashamed, how self-condemned, how +overwhelmed he has been by all that has happened." + +"Humph! I have been a good deal more overwhelmed than he has been," +returned Mrs Moss. "However, make your mind easy, child, for during +the last week or two, in learning to love and esteem John Barret, I have +unwittingly been preparing the way to forgive and forget the cowardly +youth who ran me down in London. Now go and send Mr Jackman to me; I +have a great opinion of that young man's knowledge of medicine and +surgery, though he _is_ only an amateur. He will soon tell me whether I +have received any hurt that has rendered me incapable of feeling. And +at the same time you may convey to that coward, John, my entire +forgiveness." + +Milly kissed her mother, of course, and hastened away to deliver her +double message. + +After careful examination and much questioning, "Dr" Jackman pronounced +the little old lady to be entirely free from injury of any kind, save +the smashing of a comb in her back-hair, and gave it as his opinion that +she was as sound in wind and limb as before the accident, though there +had unquestionably been a considerable shock to the feelings, which, +however, seemed to have had the effect of improving rather than +deranging her intellectual powers. The jury which afterwards sat upon +her returned their verdict in accordance with that opinion. + +It was impossible, of course, to prevent some of all this leaking into +the kitchen, the nursery, and the stable. In the first-mentioned spot, +Quin remarked to the housemaid,--"Sure, it's a quare evint entirely," +with which sentiment the housemaid agreed. + +"Aunt Moss is a buster," was Junkie's ambiguous opinion, in which Flo +and the black doll coincided. + +"Tonal'," said Roderick, as he groomed the bay horse, "the old wumman +iss a fery tough person." + +To which "Tonal'" assented, "she iss, what-e-ver." + + + +CHAPTER FIFTEEN. + +ELEPHANTS AGAIN--FOLLOWED BY SOMETHING MORE AWFUL. + +There came a rainy day at last at Kinlossie House. Such days will come +at times in human experience, both in metaphor and fact. At present we +state a fact. + +"It will bring up the fush," was Roderick's remark, as he paused in the +operation of cleaning harness to look through the stable door on the +landscape; "an' that wull please Maister MacRummle." + +"It will pe good for the gress too, an' that will please Muss Mully," +said Donald, now permanently appointed to the stables. + +"H'm! she wull pe carin' less for the gress, poy, than she wass used to +do," returned the groom. "It iss my opeenion that they wull pe all +wantin' to co away sooth pefore long." + +We refer to the above opinions because they were shared by the party +assembled in Barret's room, which was still retained as a snuggery, +although its occupant was fully restored to normal health and vigour. + +"You'll be sure to get `that salmon' next time you try, after all this +rain, MacRummle," said Mabberly. "At least, I hope you will before we +leave." + +"Ay, and you must have another try with the repeater on the Eagle Cliff, +Mac. It would never do to leave a lone widdy, as Quin calls it, after +murdering the husband." + +"Perhaps I _may_ have another day there," answered the old gentleman, +with a pleased smile; for although they roasted him a good deal for +mistaking an eagle for a raven, and only gave him credit for a "fluke," +it was evident that he congratulated himself not a little on his +achievement. + +"Archie is having an awful time skinning and stuffing it," said Eddie, +who sat by the window dressing trout flies. + +Junkie, who was occupied at another window, mending the top of his rod, +remarked that nothing seemed to give Archie so much pleasure as skinning +and stuffing something. "He's always doing it," said the youngster. +"Whatever happens to die, from a tom-cat to a tom-tit, he gets hold of. +I do believe if he was to die, he would try to skin and stuff himself!" + +At that moment Archie entered the room. + +"I've got it nearly done now," he said, with a pleased expression, while +he rubbed his not-over-clean hands. "I'll set him up to-night and +photograph him to-morrow, with Flo under his wings to show his +_enormous_ size." + +"Oh! that minds me o' the elephants," cried Junkie, jumping up and +running to Jackman, who was assisting. Barret to arrange plants for +Milly. "We are _all_ here now--an' you _promised_, you know." + +A heavy patter of rain on the window seemed to emphasise Junkie's +request by suggesting that nothing better could be done. + +"Well, Junkie, I have no objection," said the Woods-and-Forester, "if +the rest of the company do not object." + +As the rest of the company did not object, but rather expressed anxiety +to hear about the hunt, Jackman drew his chair near to the fire, the +boys crowded round him, and he began with,--"Let me see. Where was I?" + +"In India, of course," said Junkie. "Yes; but at what part of the +hunt?" + +"Oh! you hadn't begun the hunt at all. You had only made Chand +somethin' or other, Isri Per-what-d'ee-call-it, an' Raj Mung-thingumy +give poor Mowla Buksh such an awful mauling." + +"Just so. Well, you must know that next day we received news of large +herds of elephants away to the eastward of the Ganges, so we started off +with all our forces--hunters, matchlock-men, onlookers, etcetera, and +about eighty tame elephants. Chief among these last were the fighting +elephants, to which Junkie gave such appropriate names just now, and +king of them all was the mighty Chand Moorut, who had never been known +to refuse a fight or lose a victory since he was grown up. + +"It was really grand to see this renowned mountain of living flesh +towering high above his fellows. Like all heroes, he was calm and +dignified when not in action--a lamb in the drawing-room, a lion in the +field. Even the natives, accustomed as they were to these giants, came +to look at him admiringly that morning as he walked sedately out of +camp. He was so big that he seemed to grow bigger while you looked at +him, and he was absolutely perfect in form and strength--the very +Hercules of brutes. + +"The trackers had marked down a herd of wild elephants, not three miles +distant, in a narrow valley, just suited to our purpose. On reaching +the ground we learned that there was, in the jungle, a `rogue' +elephant--that is, an old male, which had been expelled from the herd. +Such outcasts are usually very fierce and dangerous. This one was a +tusker, who had been the terror of the neighbourhood, having killed many +people, among them a forester, only a few days before our arrival. + +"As these `rogues' are always very difficult to overcome, and are almost +sure to injure the khedda, or tame elephants of the hunt, if an attempt +is made to capture them, we resolved to avoid him, and devote our +attention entirely to the females and young ones. We formed a curious +procession as we entered the valley--rajah and civilians, military men +and mahowts, black and white, on pads and in howdahs--the last being the +little towers that you see on elephants' backs in pictures. + +"Gun-men had been sent up to the head of the valley to block the way in +that direction. The sides were too steep for elephants to climb. Thus +we had them, as it were, in a trap, and formed up the khedda in battle +array. The catching, or non-combatant elephants, were drawn up in two +lines, and the big, fighting elephants were kept in reserve, concealed +by bushes. The sides of the valley were crowded with matchlock-men, +ready to commence shouting and firing at a given signal, and drive the +herd in the direction of the khedda. + +"It was a beautiful forenoon when we commenced to move forward. All +nature seemed to be waiting in silent expectation of the issue of our +hunt, and not a sound was heard, the strictest silence having been +enjoined upon all. Rich tropical vegetation hung in graceful lines and +festoons from the cliffs on either side, but there was no sign of the +gun-men concealed there. The sun was--" + +"Oh! bother the sun! Come on wi' the fight," exclaimed the impatient +Junkie. + +"All in good time, my boy. The sun was blazing in my eyes, I was going +to say, so, you see, I could not make out the distant view, and +therefore, can't describe it," ("Glad of it," murmured the impertinent +Junkie); "but I knew that the wild elephants were there, somewhere in +the dense jungle. Suddenly a shot was heard at the head of the valley. +We afterwards learned that it had been fired over the head of a big +tusker elephant that stood under a tree not many yards from the man who +fired. Being young, like Junkie, and giddy, it dashed away down the +valley, trumpeting wildly; and you have no conception how active and +agile these creatures can be, if you have seen only the slow, sluggish +things that are in our Zoos at home! So terrible was the sound of this +elephant's approach, that the ranks of the khedda elephants were thrown +into some confusion, and the mahowts had difficulty in preventing them +from turning tail and running away. Our leader, therefore, ordered the +gladiator, Chand Moorut, to the front. Indeed, Chand ordered himself to +the front, for no sooner did he hear the challenge of the tusker, than +he dashed forward alone to accept it, and his mahowt found it almost +impossible to restrain him. Fortunately the jungle helped the mahowt by +hiding the tusker from view. + +"When the wild elephant caught sight of the line of the khedda, he went +at it with a mighty rush, crashing through bush and brake, and +overturning small trees like straws, until he got into the dry bed of a +stream. There he stopped short, for the colossal Chand Moorut suddenly +appeared and charged him. The wild tusker, however, showed the white +feather. He could not, indeed, avoid the shock altogether, but, +yielding to it, he managed to keep his legs, turned short round, and +fled past his big foe. Chand Moorut had no chance with the agile fellow +in a race. He was soon left far behind, while the tusker charged +onward. The matchlock-men tried in vain to check him. As he approached +the line, the khedda elephants fled in all directions. Thrusting aside +some, and overturning others that came in his way, he held on his +course, amid the din of shouting and rattling of shots, and finally, got +clear away!" + +"Oh, _what_ a pity!" exclaimed Junkie. + +"But that did not matter much," continued Jackman; "for news was brought +in that the herd we had been after were not in that valley at all, but +in the next one, and had probably heard nothing of all the row we had +been making; so we collected our forces, and went after them. + +"Soon we got to the pass leading into the valley, and then, just beyond +it, came quite suddenly on a band of somewhere about thirty wild +elephants. They were taken quite by surprise, for they were feeding at +the time on a level piece of ground of considerable extent. As it was +impossible to surround them, away the whole khedda went helter-skelter +after them. It was a tremendous sight. The herd had scattered in all +directions, so that our khedda was also scattered. Each hunting +elephant had two men on its back--one, the nooseman, sitting on its +neck, with a strong, thick rope in his hands, on which was a running +noose; the other, the driver, who stood erect on the animal's back, +holding on by a loop with one hand, and in the other flourishing an +instrument called the _mungri_, with sharp spikes in it, wherewith to +whip the poor animal over the root of his tail; for of course an +ordinary whip would have had no more effect than a peacock's feather, on +an elephant's hide! + +"I ordered my mahowt to keep near one of the noosemen, whom I knew to be +expert in the use of the giant-lasso. His name was Ramjee. Both Ramjee +and his driver were screaming and yelling at the pitch of their voices, +and the latter was applying his mungri with tremendous energy. The +elephant they were after was a small female. It is always necessary +that the chasing elephant should be much heavier than the one chased, +else evil results follow, as we soon found. Presently the khedda +elephant was alongside. Ramjee lifted the great loop in both hands, and +leaned over till he almost touched the wild animal. Frequently this +noosing fails from various reasons. For one thing, the wild creatures +are often very clever at evading the noose: sometimes they push it away +with their trunks; occasionally they step right through it, and now and +then get only half through it, so that it forms a sort of tow rope, and +the other end of this rope being made fast to the neck of the tame +elephant, the wild one drags it along violently, unless the tame one is +much heavier than itself. This is exactly what happened to Ramjee. He +dropped the noose beautifully over the creature's head, but before it +could be hauled tight--which was accomplished by checking the tame +animal--the active creature had got its forelegs through. The loop +caught, however, on its hind quarters, and away it went, dragging the +tame elephant after it, Ramjee shrieking wildly for help. Two of the +other tame elephants, not yet engaged, were sent to his assistance. +These easily threw two more nooses over the wild creature, and, after a +good run, she was finally exhausted, secured with ropes, and driven back +to camp, there to be subjected to coercive treatment until she should +become tame. + +"Meanwhile, other captures were being made in the field. I was just +moving off, after seeing this female secured, when a tremendous shouting +attracted me. It was a party chasing a fine young tusker. He was very +cunning, and ran about, dodging hither and thither, taking advantage of +every tree and bush and inequality, while the mahowts failed again and +again to noose him. I made my mahowt drive our animal so as to turn him +back. We had no appliances to capture, as I was there only to look on +and admire. At last a good throw noosed him, but he slipped through, +all except one hind leg. On this the noose luckily held, and in a few +minutes we had him secure. Of course, in driving our prisoners to camp, +the tame elephants were used to guide them, stir them up, push them on, +and restrain or punish them, as the case might require. This was easy +with the smaller females and young ones, but it was a very different +matter with big males, especially with rogues, as we found out before +the close of that day. + +"We were getting pretty well used up towards the afternoon, and had sent +ten full-grown elephants and three calves into camp, when we received +news that the rogue, which had been so long a terror to the district, +was in the neighbouring valley. So we resolved to go for him. Of +course there was no possibility of noosing such a monster. The ordinary +elephants could never have been brought to face him. Our only hope +therefore lay in our gladiators; and our plan was to make them knock him +down repeatedly, until, at length, he should be tired out. + +"I need not waste time with details. It is sufficient to say that, +after about an hour's search, we came upon the rogue in a dense part of +the jungle. He was, as I have said, unusually big, as well as fierce. +But our hero, Chand Moorut, had never yet met his match, so we resolved +to risk an encounter. There was the dry bed of a river, which the rogue +would have to cross when driven down the valley by the gun-men. Here +our gladiator was placed, partially concealed and ready to meet the +rogue when he should appear. Fifty yards back the other fighting +elephants were placed in support, and behind these were drawn up the +rest of the khedda in three lines. Then the spectators, many of whom +were ladies, were placed on a ledge of rock about forty feet above the +river-bed, which commanded a good view of the proposed field of battle. + +"Up to this time perfect silence had been maintained in our ranks. My +elephant was stationed near the centre of the line, from which point I +could see Chand Moorut standing calmly near the river-bed, with what I +could almost fancy was a twinkle in his eye, as though he suspected what +was coming. + +"Suddenly a single shot was heard from up the valley. As it came +echoing towards us, it was mingled with the spattering fire, shouting +and yelling of the beaters, who began to advance. Chand Moorut became +rigid and motionless, like a statue. He was evidently thinking! +Another instant, and the rogue's shrill trumpet-note of defiance rang +high above the din. Trembling and restive the ordinary khedda elephants +showed every symptom of alarm; but the fighters stood still, with the +exception of Chand, who, becoming inflated with the spirit of war, made +a sudden dash up the valley, intent on accepting the challenge! Fifty +yards were passed before his mahowt, with voice, limb, and prod managed +to reduce the well-trained warrior to obedience. Solemnly, and with +stately gait, he returned to his position, his great heart swelling, no +doubt, with anticipation. + +"Scarcely had he taken up his position when the bushes higher up were +seen to move, and the huge black form of the rogue appeared upon the +scene. Unlike the lively young elephant that had escaped us in the +morning, this old rogue marched sedately and leisurely down the +hill-side, apparently as much unconcerned about the uproar of shooting +and shouting in his rear as if it had been but the buzzing of a few +mosquitoes. I confess that doubts as to the issue of the combat arose +in my mind when I first saw him, for he appeared to be nearly, if not +quite, as big as Chand Moorut himself, and of course I knew that the +hard and well-trained muscles of a wild elephant were sure to be more +powerful than those of a tame one. I stupidly forgot, at the moment, +that indomitable pluck counts for much in a trial of mere brute force. + +"Ignorant of what was in store for him, with head erect, and an air of +quiet contempt for all animate creation, the rogue walked into the dry +bed of the river, and began to descend. Expectation was now on tiptoe, +when to our disgust he turned sharp to the right, and all but walked in +amongst the spectators on the ledge above, some of whom received him +with a volley of rifle balls. As none of these touched a vital spot, +they might as well have been rhubarb pills! They turned him aside, +however, and, breaking through the left flank of the khedda, he took +refuge in the thickest jungle he could find. The whole khedda followed +in hot pursuit, crashing through overgrowth of canes, creepers, and +trees, in the midst of confusion and rumpus utterly inconceivable, +therefore beyond my powers of description! We had to look out sharply +in this chase, for we were passing under branches at times. One of +these caught my man Quin, and swept him clean off his pad. But he fell +on his feet, unhurt, and was quickly picked up and re-seated. + +"In a short time we came in sight of the rogue, who suddenly turned at +bay and confronted us. The entire khedda came to a most inglorious +halt, for our heavy fighters had been left behind in the race, and the +others dared not face the foe. Seeing this, he suddenly dashed into the +midst of us, and went straight for the elephant on which our director +and his wife were seated! Fortunately, a big tree, chancing to come in +the rogue's way, interfered with his progress. He devoted his energies +to it for a few moments. Then he took to charging furiously at +everything that came in his way, and was enjoying himself with this +little game when Chand Moorut once more appeared on the scene! The +rogue stopped short instantly. It was evident that he recognised a +foeman, worthy of his steel, approaching. Chand Moorut advanced with +alacrity. The rogue eyed him with a sinister expression. There was no +hesitation on either side. Both warriors were self-confident; +nevertheless, they did not rush to the battle. Like equally-matched +veterans they advanced with grim purpose and wary deliberation. With +heads erect, and curled trunks, they met, more like wrestlers than +swordsmen, each seeming to watch for a deadly grip. Suddenly they +locked their trunks together, and began to sway to and fro with awful +evidence of power, each straining his huge muscles to the uttermost--the +conflict of Leviathan and Behemoth! + +"For only a few minutes did the result seem doubtful to the hundreds of +spectators, who, on elephant-back or hill-side, gazed with glaring eyes +and bated breath, and in profound silence. The slightly superior bulk +and weight of our gladiator soon began to tell. The rogue gave way, +slightly. Chand Moorut, with the skill of the trained warrior or the +practised pugilist, took instant advantage of the move. With the rush +of a thunder-bolt he struck the rogue with his head on the shoulder. +The effect was terrific. It caused him to turn a complete somersault +into the jungle, where he fell with a thud and a crash that could be +heard far and near, and there he lay sprawling for a few moments, +nothing but struggling legs, trunk, and tail being visible above the +long grass!" + +"Hooray!" shouted Junkie, unable to restrain himself. + +"Just what my man Quin said," continued Jackman. "Only he added, +`Musha!' `Thunder-an'-turf,' and `Well, I niver!' And well he might, +too, for none of us ever saw such a sight before. But the victory was +not quite gained yet, for the rogue sprang up with amazing agility, and, +refusing again to face such a terrible foe, he ran away, pursued hotly +and clamorously by the whole khedda. I made my mahowt keep as close to +Chand Moorut as possible, wishing to be in at the death. Suddenly a +louder uproar in advance, and a shrill trumpeting assured me that the +rogue had again been brought to bay. + +"Although somewhat exhausted and shaken by his flight and the tremendous +knock down, he fought viciously, and kept all his smaller foes at a +respectful distance by repeated charges, until Chand Moorut again came +up and laid him flat with another irresistible charge. He staggered to +his feet again, however, and now the other fighting elephants, Raj +Mungul, Isri Pershad, and others, were brought into action. These +attacked the rogue furiously, knocking him down when he attempted to +rise, and belabouring him with their trunks until he was thoroughly +exhausted. Then one of the khedda men crept up behind him on foot, with +thick ropes fitted for the purpose of tying him, and fixed them on the +rogue's hind legs. But the brave man paid heavily for his daring. He +was still engaged with the ropes when the animal suddenly kicked out and +broke the poor fellow's thigh. He was quickly lifted up and taken to +camp. + +"Not so quickly, however, was the rogue taken to camp! As it was +growing dark, some of us resolved to bivouac where the capture had been +made, and tied our captive to a tree. Next morning we let him go with +only a hind leg hobbled, so that he might find breakfast for himself. +Then, having disposed of our own breakfast, we proceeded to induce our +prisoner to go along with us--a dangerous and difficult operation. As +long as he believed that he might go where he pleased, we could induce +him to take a few steps, forward, but the moment he understood what we +were driving at, he took the sulks, like an enormous spoilt child, and +refused to move. The koonkies were therefore brought up, and Raj +Mungul, going behind, gave him a shove that was irresistible. He lost +temper and turned furiously on Raj, but received such an awful whack on +the exposed flank from Isri Pershad, that he felt his case to be +hopeless, and sulked again. Going down on his knees he stuck his tusks +into the ground, like a sheet anchor, with a determination that +expressed, `Move me out o' this if you can!' + +"Chand Moorut accepted the unspoken challenge. He gave the rogue a +shove that not only raised his hind legs in the air, but caused him to +stand on his head, and finally hurled him on his back. As he rose, +doggedly, he received several admonitory punches, and advanced a few +paces. Spearmen also were brought forward to prick him on, but they +only induced him to curl his trunk round a friendly tree that came in +his way, and hold on. Neither bumping, pricking, nor walloping had now +any effect. He seemed to have anchored himself there for the remainder +of his natural life by an unnatural attachment. + +"In this extremity the khedda men had recourse to their last resource. +They placed under him some native fireworks, specially prepared for such +emergencies, and, as it were, blew him up moderately. Being thus +surprised into letting go his hold of the tree, he was urged slowly +forward as before. You see, we did not want to kill the beast, though +he richly deserved death, having killed so many natives, besides keeping +a whole neighbourhood in alarm for years. We were anxious to take him +to camp, and we managed it at last, though the difficulty was almost +superhuman, and may to some extent be conceived when I tell you that, +although we spent the whole of that day, from dawn to sunset, struggling +with our obstinate captive, and with the entire force of the khedda, we +only advanced to the extent of four or five hundred yards!" + +Now, while this amazing story was being told by Giles Jackman to his +friends in Barret's room, a very different story was being told in the +room above them. That room was the nursery, and its only occupants were +little Flo and her black doll. The rain had cleared off towards the +afternoon, and a gleam of sunshine entering the nursery windows, had +formed a spot of intense light on the nursery floor. This seemed to +have suggested something of great interest to Flo, for, after gazing at +it with bright eyes for some time, she suddenly held the doll before her +and said-- + +"Blackie, I'm goin' to tell you a stowy--a bustingly intewestin' stowy." + +We must remind the reader here that Flo was naturally simple and sweet, +and that as Junkie was her chief playmate, she was scarcely responsible +for her language. + +"The stowy," continued Flo, "is all 'bout Doan of Ak, who was bu'nt by +some naughty men, long, long ago! D'you hear, Blackie? It would make +your hair stand on end--if you had any!" + +Thereupon the little one set Blackie on a stool, propped her against the +wall, and gave her a fairly correct account of the death of the +unfortunate Joan of Arc, as related by Mrs Gordon that morning. She +wound up with the question,--"Now, what you think of _zat_, Blackie?" + +As Blackie would not answer, Flo had to draw on her own bank of +imagination for further supplies of thought. + +"Come," she cried, suddenly, with the eagerness of one whose cheque has +just been honoured; "let's play at Doan of Ak! You will be Doan, and I +will be the naughty men. I'll bu'n you! You mustn't squeal, or kick up +a wumpus, you know, but be dood." + +Having made this stipulation, our little heroine placed the black martyr +on an old-fashioned straw-bottomed chair near the window, and getting +hold of a quantity of paper and some old cotton dresses, she piled the +whole round Blackie to represent faggots. This done, she stepped back +and surveyed her work as an artist might study a picture. + +"You've dot your best muslin fock on, da'ling, an it'll be spoiled; but +I don't care for zat. Now, say your pays, Doan." + +With this admonitory remark, Flo screwed up a piece of paper, went to +the fireplace, made a very long arm through the fender, and lighted it. +Next moment she applied the flame to the faggots, which blazed up with +surprising rapidity. + +Stepping quickly back, the dear little child gazed at her work with +intense delight beaming from every feature. + +"Now be dood, Blackie. Don't make a wumpus!" she said; and as she said +it, the flames caught the window curtains and went up with a flare that +caused Flo to shout with mingled delight and alarm. + +"I wonder," remarked Mrs Gordon, who chanced to be in the drawing-room +on the windward side of the nursery, "what amuses Flo so much!" + +She arose and went, leisurely, to see. + +Roderick, the groom, being in the harness-room on the lee side of the +nursery at the time, made a remark with the same opening words. + +"I wonder," said he, "what _that_ wull pe!" A sniffing action of the +nose told what "that" meant. "Don't you smell a smell, Tonal'?" + +Donald sniffed, and replied that he did--"what-e-ver." + +"It wull pe somethin' on fire, Tonal'," said the groom, dropping the +harness-brush and running out to the yard. + +Donald being of the same opinion, followed him. At the same moment a +piercing shriek was heard to issue from the house and wild confusion +followed. + +"Fire! fire!" yelled a voice in the yard outside, with that intensity of +meaning which is born of thorough conviction. + +Who that has never been roused by "fire!" can imagine the sensations +that the cry evokes, and who that really has experienced those +sensations can hope to explain them to the inexperienced? We cannot. +We will not try. + +But let us not plunge with undue haste into a fire! + +It will be remembered that we left Jackman in Barret's room, having just +ended his elephant story, to the satisfaction of his friends, while Mrs +Gordon was on her way to the nursery, bent on investigation. Well, the +voice that shrieked in the nursery was that of Mrs Gordon, and that +which yelled in the yard was the voice of the groom, supplemented by +Donald's treble. + +Of course the gentlemen sprang to their feet, on hearing the uproar, +dashed from the room in a body, and made straight for the nursery. On +the way they met Mrs Gordon with Flo in her arms--all safe; not a hair +of her pretty little head singed, but looking rather appalled by the +consequences of what she had done. + +"Safe! thank God!" exclaimed the laird, turning and descending with his +wife and child, with some vague thoughts that he might be likely to find +Mrs Moss in her favourite place of resort, the library. + +He was right. He found her there in a dead faint on the floor. He also +found his three boys there, exerting themselves desperately to haul her +out of the room by a foot and an arm and the skirt of her dress. + +"We knew she was here, daddy," gasped Eddie, "and came straight to help +her." + +"Out o' the way!" cried the laird as he grasped Mrs Moss in his arms +and bore her away. "Mother and Flo are safe, boys. Look out for +yourselves." + +"I'll go for the photographs! Come, help me, Ted," cried Archie, as he +ran up the now smoking stairs. + +"I'll go for Milly!" cried the heroic Junkie, as, with flashing eyes, he +dashed towards her room. + +But Barret had gone for Milly before him! and without success. She was +not in her room. "Milly! Milly!" he shouted, in tones of undisguised +anxiety, as he burst out of the nursery, after finding, with his +companions, that no one was there and that suffocation was imminent. +Then, as no Milly replied, he rushed up to the garret in the belief that +she might have taken refuge there or on the roof in her terror. + +Just after he had rushed out of the nursery, Junkie burst in. The boy +was in his element now. We do not mean that he was a salamander and +revelled in fire and smoke, but he had read of fires and heard of them +till his own little soul was ablaze with a desire to save some one from +a fire--any one--somehow, or anyhow! Finding, like the rest, that he +could scarcely breathe, he made but one swift circuit of the room. In +doing so he tumbled on the chair on which the cause of all the mischief +still sat smoking, but undeniably "dood!" + +"Blackie!" he gasped, and seized hold of her denuded but still +unconsumed wooden body. + +A few moments later he sprang through the entrance door and tumbled out +on the lawn, where most of the females of the establishment were +standing. + +"Saved!" he cried, in a voice of choking triumph, as he rose and held up +the rescued and smoking doll. + +"Doan! my da'ling Doan!" cried Flo, extending her arms eagerly to +receive the martyr. + +By that time the house was fairly alight in its upper storey, despite +the utmost efforts of all the men to extinguish the fire with buckets of +water. + +"No use, no use to waste time trying," said the laird, as he ran out +among the females on the lawn. "Is everybody safe? eh? Milly--where's +Milly?" + +"Milly! where's Milly?" echoed a stentorian voice, as Barret bounded out +of the smoking house with singed hair and blackened face. + +"There--there she is!" cried several of the party, as they pointed +towards the avenue leading to the house. + +All eyes were eagerly turned in that direction, and a general +exclamation of thankfulness escaped, as Milly was seen running towards +the scene of action. She had been down seeing old Mrs Donaldson, and +knew nothing of what had occurred, till she came in sight of the +conflagration. + + + +CHAPTER SIXTEEN. + +TWO FIRES SUBDUED. + +Barret, half ashamed of the wild anxiety he displayed, turned at once, +sprang back into the burning house, and began to expend his energies in +helping his companions and the men of the establishment to save as much +as possible of the laird's property. + +While this was being done and the attention of every one was directed +exclusively to the work of salvage--in which work Pat Quin shone +conspicuous for daring as well as for all but miraculous power to endure +heat and swallow smoke, Roderick, the groom, retired to the lawn for a +few moments' respite. He was accompanied by Donald, his faithful +assistant, who was almost exhausted by his labours. + +"Tonal', poy, what iss it that Muster Archie wull pe doin'?" + +"I think he wull pe takin' the hoose!" + +They had not time to make further inquiry, for just then the wind +changed and blew the flames towards the part of the mansion that had +been already burned, giving some hope that the other parts might yet be +saved, and calling for the redoubled efforts of all hands. + +Donald was right in his conjecture. Archie was indeed "takin'" the +house! He and Eddie--having succeeded in rescuing the photographic +apparatus, and, finding that no lives were in danger, and that enough +people were already endeavouring to save the property--had calmly +devoted themselves to taking photographs of the blazing scene from +several points of view--a feat that was still possible, as daylight had +not yet been diminished in power. + +The change of wind, however, brought their operations to an abrupt +close, for no idlers were tolerated. Even the women were summoned to +stand in a row, and pass buckets from a neighbouring pond to the burning +house. + +The proceedings now had been reduced to some degree of order by Giles +Jackman, whose experience abroad had tended to develop his powers of +organisation. + +The buckets were passed in uninterrupted succession from the pond to the +house, where Mabberly received them at the front door, that being deemed +the point where danger and the need for unusual energy began. He passed +them in through the smoke of the hall to MacRummle, who handed them to +Roderick and the butler. These last stood in the dense smoke of the +staircase, at the head of which the tall gamekeeper, Jackman and Barret, +were engaged in close and deadly conflict with the flames, intense heat, +falling _debris_, and partial suffocation. The rest of the people, +headed by the laird, who seemed to have renewed his youth and become +ubiquitous, continued the work of salvage. + +By that time the party of warriors who fought the flames was increased +by the shepherds and a few small farmers who dwelt in the neighbourhood. +These being stalwart and willing men, were a valuable accession to the +force, and did good service not only in saving property, but in +extinguishing the fire. So that, before night closed in, the flames +were finally subdued, after about one-half of the mansion had been +consumed. + +That half, however, was still a source of great danger, the walls being +intensely hot and the fallen beams a mass of glowing charcoal, which the +least breath of wind blew into a flame. A few of the shepherds were +therefore stationed to watch these, and pour water on them continually. +But the need for urgent haste was past, and most of the people had +assembled on the lawn among the furniture when the stars began to +glimmer in the darkening sky. + +"My dear," said the laird, on finding his wife in the group, "it is all +safe now, so you had better get off to rest, and take all the women with +ye. Come, girls, be off to your beds," he added, turning with kindly +smile to the domestics, and with the energetic manner that was habitual +to him. "You've done good service, and stand much in need of rest, all +of you. The men will keep a sharp look out on what's left o' the fire, +so you have nothing to fear. Off with you, an' get to sleep!" + +There was no hesitation in obeying the laird's commands. The female +domestics went off at once to their dormitories, and these were +fortunately in that part of the mansion which had escaped. Some of the +younger girls, however, made no effort to conceal a giggle as they +glanced at their master who, with coat off, shirt torn, face blackened, +hair dishevelled, and person dripping, presented rather an undignified +appearance. But as worthy Allan Gordon had never set up a claim to +dignity, the giggles only amused him. + +"Duncan! Duncan, man, where are ye?" he called out, when the ladies and +female domestics had gone. "Oh! there ye are--an' not much more +respectable than myself!" he added, as the butler answered to his +summons. "Go and fetch the whisky bottle. We'll all be the better of a +dram after such a fight. What say you, gentlemen? Do you not relax +your teetotal principles a little on an occasion like this?" + +"We never relax our _total abstinence_ principles," returned Jackman, +with a smile, as he wrung some of the water out of his garments. "I +think I may speak for my companions as well as myself. Friendship has +been a sufficient stimulant while we were engaged in the work, and +gratitude for success will suffice now that the work is done." + +"Run, Donald, boy, an' tell them to get some hot coffee ready at once! +It's all very well, gentlemen," said the laird, turning again to his +friends, "to talk of subsisting on friendship and gratitude; but +although very good in their way, they won't do for present necessities. +At least it would ill become me to express my gratitude to such good +friends without offering something more. For myself," he added, filling +and tossing off a glass of whisky, "I'm an old man, and not used to this +kind of work, so I'll be the better of a dram. Besides, the Gordons--my +branch of them, at least--have always taken kindly to mountain dew, in +moderation, of course, in strict moderation!" + +There was a quiet laugh at this among some of the men who stood near, +for it was well-known that not a few of the laird's ancestors had taken +kindly to mountain dew without the hampering influence of moderation, +though the good man himself had never been known to "exceed"--in the +Celtic acceptation of that term. + +"Are ye laughing, you rascals?" he cried, turning to the group with a +beaming, though blackened countenance. "Come here an' have your share-- +as a penalty!" + +Nothing loath, the men came forward, and with a quiet word of thanks +each poured the undiluted fiery liquid down his throat, with what the +boy Donald styled a "pech" of satisfaction. + +Ivor Donaldson chanced to be one of the group, but he did not come +forward with the rest. + +"Come, Ivor, man, and have a dram," said the laird, pouring out a glass. + +But the keeper did not move. He stood with his arms crossed firmly on +his broad chest, and a stern dogged expression on his handsome face. + +"Ivor, hi!" exclaimed the old gentleman, in a louder voice, supposing +that the man had not heard. "After work like this a dram will do you +good." + +"Oo, ay!" remarked one of the shepherds, who had probably began to feel +the "good" by that time; "a tram of whusky iss a fery coot thing at +_all_ times--specially when it is _coot_ whusky!" + +At this profound witticism there was a general laugh among the men, in +the midst of which the laird repeated his invitation to Ivor, saying +that he seemed knocked up after his exertions (which was partially +true), and adding that surely he was man enough to take a little for his +good at such a time, without giving way to it. + +The laird did not mean this as a taunt, but it was taken as such by the +keeper, who came forward quickly, seized the glass, and drained it. +Having done so he stood for a moment like one awaking from a dream. +Then, without a word of thanks, he dropped the glass, sprang into the +shrubbery, and disappeared. + +The laird was surprised, and his conscience smote him, but he turned the +incident off with a laugh. + +"Now, lads," he said, "go to work again. It will take all your energies +to keep the fire down, if it comes on to blow; and your comrades must be +tired by this time." + +Fortunately it did not come on to blow. The night was profoundly calm, +so that a steady though small supply of water sufficed to quench +incipient flames. + +Meanwhile Giles Jackman had left the group on the lawn almost at the +same moment with the gamekeeper; for, having been accustomed to deal +with men in similar circumstances, he had a suspicion of what might +follow. The poor man, having broken the resolve so recently and so +seriously formed, had probably, he thought, become desperate. + +Ivor was too active for him, however. He disappeared before Jackman had +followed more than a few yards. After a few moments of uncertainty, the +latter made straight for old Molly Donaldson's cottage, thinking it +possible that her unhappy son might go there. On the way he had to pass +the keeper's own cottage, and was surprised to see a light in it and the +door wide open. As he approached, the sound of the keeper's voice was +heard speaking violently, mingled with blows, as if delivered with some +heavy instrument against timber. A loud crash of breaking wood met +Jackman's ear as he sprang in. Ivor was in the act of rending the +remains of a door from a corner cupboard, while an axe, which he had +just dropped, lay at his feet on the earthen floor. A black quart +bottle, visible through the opening which had been made, showed the +reason of his assault on the cupboard. If there had been any +uncertainty on the point, it would have been dispelled by the wild +laugh, or yell of fierce exultation, with which he seized the bottle, +drew the cork, and raised it to his dry lips. + +Before it reached them, however, Jackman's strong hand seized the +keeper's arm. A gasp from the roused giant, and the deadly pallor of +his countenance, as he glanced round, showed that superstition had +suddenly seized on his troubled soul; but no sooner did he see who it +was that had checked him, than the hot blood rebounded to his face, and +a fierce glare shot from his eyes. + +"Thank God!--not too late!" exclaimed Jackman, fervently. + +The thanksgiving was addressed to God, of course without reference to +its influence on Ivor; but no words, apparently, could have been used +with better effect upon the keeper's spirit. His eyes lost their +ferocity, and he stood irresolute. + +"Break it, like a good fellow," said Jackman, in a soft, kindly voice, +as he pointed to the bottle. + +"I broke one before, sir," said Ivor, in a despairing tone; "and you see +how useless that was." + +"Give it to me, then." + +As he spoke, he took the bottle from the man's grasp, and cast it +through the open doorway, where it was shivered to atoms on the stones +outside. + +Striding towards a pitcher of water which stood in a corner of the room, +the keeper seized it, put it to his lips, and almost drained it. + +"There!" he exclaimed; "that will drown the devil for a time!" + +"No, Ivor, it won't; but it will _help_ to drown it," said Jackman, in +the same kindly, almost cheerful, voice. "Neither cold water nor +hottest fire can slay the evils that are around and within us. There is +only one Saviour from sin--Jesus, `who died for the sins of the whole +world.' He makes use of means, however, and these means help towards +the great end. But it was not the Saviour who told you to lock that +bottle in that cupboard--was it?" + +An expression of perplexity came over the keeper's face. + +"You are right, sir; it was not. But, to my thinkin' it was not the +devil either!" + +"Very likely not. I think sometimes we are inclined to put many things +on the devil's shoulders which ought to rest on our own. You know what +the Bible says about the deceitfulness of our hearts." + +"I do, sir, an' yet I don't quite see that it was that either. I did +not put that bottle there to have it handy when I wanted it. I put it +there when I made up my mind to fight this battle in Christ's name, so +as I might see if He gave me strength to resist the temptation, when it +was always before me." + +"Just so, Ivor, my friend. That `if' shows that you doubted Him! +Moreover, He has put into our mouths that prayer, `lead us not into +temptation,' and you proposed to keep temptation always before your +eyes." + +"No, sir, no, not quite so bad as that," cried the keeper, growing +excited. "I shut the door an' locked the accursed thing out of my +sight, and when I found I could _not_ resist the temptation, I took the +key out and flung it into the sea." + +"Would it not have been better to have flung the evil thing itself into +the sea? You soon found another key!" said his friend, pointing to the +axe. + +"You say truth, sir; but oh, you hev no notion o' the fight I hev had +wi' that drink. The days an' nights of torment! The horrors! Ay, if +men could only taste the horrors _before_ they tasted the drink, I do +believe there would be no drunkards at all! I hev lain on that bed, +sir," he pointed to it as he spoke, while large drops stood on his pale +brow at the very recollection, "and I hev seen devils and toads and +serpents crawlin' round me and over me--great spiders, and hairy +shapeless things, wi' slimy legs goin' over my face, and into my mouth, +though I gnashed my teeth together--and glaring into my tight shut eyes, +an' strangling me. Oh! sir, I know not what hell may be, but I think +that it begins on earth wi' some men!" + +"From all this Jesus came to save us, Ivor," said Jackman, endeavouring +to turn the poor man's mind from the terrible thoughts that seemed about +to overwhelm him; "but God will have us to consent to be saved in _His_ +_own_ way. When you put the temptation in the cupboard, you disobeyed +Him, and therefore were trying to be saved in _your own_ way. +Disobedience and salvation cannot go together, because salvation means +deliverance from disobedience. You and I will pray, Ivor, that God +would give us his holy Spirit, and then we shall fight our battles in +future with more success." + +Thereupon, standing as they were, but with bowed spirits and heads, they +laid the matter in the hands of God in a brief but earnest prayer. + +While these two were thus engaged, the scene at the house had entered +upon another phase. The weather, which all that day had been extremely +changeable, suddenly assumed its gloomiest aspect, and rain began to +fall heavily. Gradually the fall increased in volume, and at last +descended in an absolute deluge, rendering the use of water-buckets +quite unnecessary, and accomplishing in a very few minutes what all the +men at the place could not have done in as many hours. But that which +prevented effectually the extension of the fire, caused, almost as +effectually, the destruction of much of the property exposed on the +lawn. The men were therefore set to work with all their energies to +replace in the unburnt part of the mansion all that they had so recently +carried out of it. + +In this work Ivor Donaldson found a sufficient outlet for the fierce +unnatural energies which had been aroused within him. He went about +heaving and hauling, and staggering under weights that in an ordinary +state of body and mind he could scarcely have moved. Little notice was +taken of him, however, for every one else was, if not doing the same +thing, at least working up to the utmost extent of his ability. + +Before midnight all was over. The fire was what the cook termed black +out. The furniture, more than half destroyed, was re-housed. The +danger of a revival of the flames was past, and the warriors in the +great battle felt themselves free to put off their armour and seek +refreshment. + +This they did--the males at least--in the gun-room, which, being +farthest from the fire, and, therefore, left untouched, had not been +damaged either by fire or water. Here the thoughtful laird had given +orders to have a cold collation spread, and here, with his guests, +men-servants, boys, and neighbouring farmers around him, he sat down to +supper. + + + +CHAPTER SEVENTEEN. + +CONCLUSION. + +"We are a queer lot, what-e-ver!" remarked one of the farmers, with a +deep sigh and a candid smile, as he looked round the company. + +The observation was incontrovertible, if charcoaled faces, lank hair, +torn and dripping garments, and a general appearance of drowned-ratiness +may be regarded as "queer." + +"My friends," said the laird, digging the carving fork into a cold +turkey, "we are also a hungry lot, if I may judge of others by myself, +so let me advise you to fall to. We can't afford to sit long over our +supper in present circumstances. Help yourselves, and make the most of +your opportunities." + +"Thank God," said Giles Jackman, "that we have the opportunity to sit +down to sup under a roof at all." + +"Amen to that," returned the laird; "and thanks to you all, my friends, +for the help you have rendered. But for you, this house and all in it +would have been burnt to ashes. I never before felt so strongly how +true it is that we `know not what a day may bring forth.'" + +"What you say, sir, is fery true," remarked a neighbouring small farmer, +who had a sycophantish tendency to echo or approve whatever fell from +the laird's lips. + +"It is indeed true," returned his host, wiping the charcoal from his +face with a moist handkerchief; "but it is the Word that says it, not I. +And is it not strange," he added, turning with a humorous look to +Barret, "that after all these years the influence of Joan of Arc should +be still so powerful in the Western Isles? To think that she should set +my house on fire in this nineteenth century!" + +"I am very glad she did!" suddenly exclaimed Junkie, who, having been +pretty well ignored or forgotten by everybody, was plying his knife and +fork among the other heroes of the fight in a state of inexpressible +felicity. + +"You rascal!" exclaimed his father; "you should have been in bed long +ago! But why are you so glad that Joan set the house on fire?" + +"Because she gave me the chance to save Blackie's life!" replied Junkie, +with supreme contentment. + +The company laughed, and continued their meal, but some of them recalled +the proverb which states that "the boy is father to the man," and +secretly prophesied a heroic career for Junkie. + +------------------------------------------------------------------------ + +Ten months passed away, during which period Allan Gordon retired to his +residence in Argyllshire while his mansion in the Western Island was +being restored. During the same period Archie produced innumerable hazy +photographs of Kinlossie House in a state of conflagration; Eddie +painted several good copies of the bad painting into which Milly Moss +had introduced a megatherium cow and other specimens of violent +perspective; and Junkie underwent a few terrible paroxysms of intense +hatred of learning in all its aspects, in which paroxysms he was much +consoled by the approval and sympathy of dear little Flo. + +During this period, also, Mabberly applied himself to his duties in +London, unaffected by the loss of the _Fairy_, and profoundly interested +in the success of his friend Barret, who had devoted himself heart and +head to natural history, with a view to making that science his +profession, though his having been left a competence by his father +rendered a profession unnecessary, from a financial point of view. As +for Giles Jackman, that stalwart "Woods-and-Forester" returned to his +adopted land, accompanied by the faithful Quin, and busied himself in +the activities of his adventurous career, while he sought to commend the +religion of Jesus alike to native and European, both by precept and +example, proving the great truth that "godliness is profitable unto all +things, having promise of the life which now is, and of that which is to +come." MacRummle, during the same period, spent much time in his study, +writing for publication an elaborate treatise on fishing, with a few +notes on shooting, in the Western Isles. He was encouraged in this work +by a maiden sister who worshipped him, and by the presence of an +enormous stuffed eagle in a corner of his study. + +One day, towards the close of this period of ten months, a beautiful +little woman and a handsome young man might have been seen riding in one +of the quiet streets of London. They rode neither on horseback, nor in +a carriage, still less in a cab! Their vehicle was a tricycle of the +form which has obtained the name of "Sociable." + +"See, this is the corner, Milly," said the young man. "I told you that +one of the very first places I would take you to see after our marriage +would be the spot where I had the good fortune to run _our_ mother down. +So now I have kept my word. There is the very spot, by the lamp-post, +where the sweep stood looking at the thin little old lady so +pathetically when I was forced to rise and run away." + +"Oh, John!" exclaimed Milly, pointing with eager looks along the street; +"and there is the thin little old lady herself!" + +"So it is! Well, coincidences will never cease," said Barret, as he +stepped from the "sociable" and hurried to meet Mrs Moss, who shook her +finger and head at him as she pointed to the pavement near the +lamp-post. + +"I would read you a lecture now, sir," she said; "but will reserve it, +for here is a letter that may interest you." + +It did indeed interest all three of them, as they sat together that +afternoon in the sunshine of Milly's boudoir, for it was a long and +well-written epistle from old Molly Donaldson. + +We will not venture to weary the reader with all that the good old woman +had to say, but it may perhaps be of interest to transcribe the +concluding sentence. It ran thus,--"You will be glad to hear that my +dear Ivor is doing well. He was married in March to Aggy Anderson, an' +they live in the old cottage beside me. Ivor has put on the blue +ribbon. The laird has put it on too, to the surprise o' everybody. But +I think little o' that. I think more o' a bit pasteboard that hangs +over my son's mantelpiece, on which he has written wi' his own hand the +blessed words--`_Saved by Grace_.'" + +THE END. + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Eagle Cliff, by R.M. Ballantyne + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE EAGLE CLIFF *** + +***** This file should be named 23373.txt or 23373.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/3/3/7/23373/ + +Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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