Rin, young chentleman! Doon wi' ye! She'll be like
a daft quey the noo. I can haud her till ye get doon."

"No, no, Scood, I won't run!" cried Kenneth. "You run, Max. Get down
with you."

Max obeyed, glad of the opportunity for escape; but as soon as he had
passed through the door he turned, and looked in at the struggle going
on.

To his horror, they more than once drew so near to the hole in the floor
that it seemed as if they must go through; but they all wrenched
themselves clear, and Scoodrach suddenly got free, leaped up, and drew
his dirk.

"Oh!" cried Max in horror.

"Put away that knife, Scood, and run!" cried Kenneth.

"She'll niver rin frae ta auld piper!" cried Scoodrach; and, turning to
the box on which lay the pipes, he caught them up, and held them with
the point of his keen knife close to the skin bag.

"Noo," he shouted, "haud off an' let the young maister go, or I'll slit
the bag's weam."

"Ah!" shouted old Donald.

"Ay, but I will!" yelled Scoodrach, with the point of his keen knife
denting in the bag.

"Ah!" shouted the old piper again; and he made a movement toward the
boy.

But Scoodrach was too quick. He stepped back, raised his arm, and
seemed about to plunge the knife through the green baize.

"She'll preak her heart," groaned the old piper.

"Shall she let her go, then?" cried Scoodrach.

The old man caught hold of his hair by handfuls and gave it a tremendous
tug.

"Don't cut, Scood," cried Kenneth.

"Go on down, and she shall come aifter. She'll slit ta bahg oop if
Tonald ton't sit town."

The old man's breast heaved, and he gazed piteously at his instrument;
following Scoodrach slowly, as that young gentleman edged round by the
side of the wall till he reached the door, through which Kenneth had
passed, and where he was now standing holding on by Max, both being
intensely interested spectators of the scene.

"Rip her recht up," cried Scoodrach. "Noo, Maister Kenneth, are ye
ready?"

"Yes."

"Down wi' ye, then. He canna catch us there. Noo, Tonald, catch."

He threw the pipes at the old man, and then darted through the narrow
opening, and followed the others down the spiral stairs at such a rate
that an accident seemed certain; but they reached the bottom in safety,
and stood at last in the courtyard, laughing and cheering.

"Tonal'!" shouted Scoodrach; and he added something in Gaelic.

The effect was to bring the old piper's head and shoulders out