ed with each other
in golden and pearly greys of every conceivable variety. Having said
thus much, we need scarcely add that the scene cannot be adequately
described.

A light fragrant air met the stout Englishman as he crested the hill,
and filled his unaccustomed nostrils with sensations that could not have
been excelled had he been greeted by one of "Afric's spicy gales." The
same air, with telegraphic speed, conveyed to the collie dogs of the
place the information that the Sudberrys were abroad; whereupon the
whole pack--nine in number--bounded open-mouthed up the hill, with noise
and ferocity enough to have alarmed the bravest of the brave. No wonder
then that poor Jacky rushed into his father's knees, being too small to
run into his arms. But these seemingly ferocious dogs were in reality
the gentlest and meekest of animals.

"Down, Topper, down! down, Lively, lass; come into heel, Swaney," cried
Donald McAllister, as he approached his tenants. "Good-mornin', miss;
mornin', gentlemen. The Ben has on its nightcap, but I'm thinkin' it'll
soon take it off."

Donald McAllister's English was excellent, but he spoke in a slow,
deliberate manner, and with a slightly nasal drawl, which sounded very
peculiar in the ears of the Sudberrys,--just as peculiar, in fact, as
their speech sounded in the ears of McAllister.

"Ah! you call the white cloud on the mountain-top a nightcap?--good,
very good," cried Mr Sudberry, rubbing his hands. "What a charming
place this is, a paradisaical place, so to speak. The dogs won't bite,
will they?" said he, patting the alarmed Jacky on the head.

"No fear o' the dogs, sir," returned McAllister; "they're like lambs.
It's just their way. Ye'll be for a row on the loch the day, no doot."
The Highlander addressed this remark to George and Fred.

"What!" exclaimed the former, "is there a boat that we can have the use
of?"

"'Deed is there, a good safe boat too, that can hold the whole of ye.
I'll show you where the oars lie after breakfast."

"Capital," cried Mr Sudberry, rubbing his hands.

"Charming," exclaimed Lucy, with sparkling eyes.

Master Jacky expressed his glee with a characteristic cheer or yell,
that at once set fire to the easily inflamed spirits of the dogs,
causing them to resume their excited gambols and furious barking. This
effectually stopped the conversation for five minutes.

"I delight in boating," observed Fred, when McAllister had quelled the
dist