being able to tell Myra that Sholto is still alive, even if we don't
know where he is."

"Seems to me, Ronald," said the General, "you don't know that, or
anything about the poor beast, except that he has been stolen, and
probably taken away in a boat. Judging by Mr. Garnesk's theory, they
probably threw him overboard in deep water."

"No one who intended destroying a dog would take the trouble to wrench
the name-plate off his collar," I pointed out. "The dog is alive, and
not unconscious. They need his collar to keep him in hand, but they
are afraid the plate might give them away. Mr. Garnesk is right, I'm
sure, and if we find the thief we find the cause for Myra's terrible
misfortune."

"Where do you imagine they can have taken him to then? Seems to me
we're getting some pretty queer neighbours."

"That is just what we have to find out," said Garnesk, "and I for one
will not rest until I do."

"'Pon my soul, my dear chap," said the old man warmly, "it's very good
of you to take so much interest in the affairs of total strangers. It
is, indeed, thundering good of you."

"Not at all, General," laughed the visitor. "If you spent your life
trying to cure fussy ladies of imaginary eye trouble, without putting
it to them that their livers are out of order, you'd welcome this as a
very appetising antidote."

"Talking about appetites," his host suggested, "who says breakfast?"

"I fancy we both do," I answered, and we turned indoors.

During breakfast Garnesk announced his determination to devote as much
of the day as necessary to an examination of Myra, and then catch the
evening train from Mallaig, but the girl herself rose in rebellion at
this immediately.

"You mustn't do anything of the sort," she declared emphatically.
"Daddy, tell him he's not to. The idea of coming up here, and looking
at me, and then going away again! It's ridiculous!"

"I assure you, it is ample reward," declared the oculist gallantly,
and everybody laughed at the frank compliment.

"But you must fish the river, have a day on the loch. Ron must take
you in the motor-boat up to Kinlochbourn. Then you've simply got to
see Scavaig and Coruisk--oh! and a hundred other things besides."

Garnesk insisted that, much as he would like to stay, he felt bound to
leave at once, but Myra was equally obstinate; and, as was natural,
being a woman, she won on a compromise. Garnesk agreed to stay over
the week-end. I was very glad that Myra liked m