amation from Scood.

"Oh, you beauty!" exclaimed Kenneth, as he gazed up at a great
strong-winged, hawk-like bird, which went sailing by. "See, Max. Blue
hawk."

"Is that a blue hawk?" said Max, as he gazed wonderingly at the rapidity
with which the great bird cut through the air.

"Yes; peregrine falcon, the books call it. There's a nest yonder where
we're going."

"Where?"

"On the face of that great grey cliff that you can see under the sail."

Max gazed at the huge wall of rock about a mile away, and noted that the
falcon was making for it as fast as its wings would beat.

"Are we going there?"

"Yes. I want the nest. I think there are young ones in it--late couple
fledged."

The rocky cliff looked so stern and forbidding, that it seemed as if
climbing would be impossible.

"Then we're going on to that rock on the other side--that tall crag.
That's where the eagles build."

Max gazed hard at a faint blue mass of crag miles farther, and then
turned half doubtingly to his companion.

"Eagles?" he said; "I thought there were none now."

"But there are. There's one pair build yonder every year, quite out of
reach; but I mean to have a try for them some day. Eh, Scood?"

"Ou ay!" ejaculated the young gillie carelessly; "why no?"

"Are there any other wild things about?"

"Any wild things? plenty: badgers, and otters, and roe deer, and red
deer. Look, there's one right off against the sky on that hill. See?"

"Yes," cried Max. "I can see that quite plainly."

"Tah!" ejaculated Scood scornfully; "it's a coo."

"You, Scood, do you want me to pitch you overboard?" cried Kenneth.

"Nae."

"Then hold your tongue."

"Ou ay, Maister Kenneth, only ton't tell the young chentleman lies.
Look, Maister Max, there's the teer, four, five, sax of them, over yon.
See?"

"Yes, I can see them; but are they really deer?"

"No," cried Kenneth; "they're bulls."

"They're not. Ton't you belief him. She can see quite plain. They're
teer."

"If they were deer they'd bolt," cried Kenneth, shading his eyes; "they
wouldn't stop there."

"There they go," cried Scood, as the graceful creatures trotted over the
shoulder of a hill a mile or more away, all but one, which stood up
against the sky, so that they could make out its great antlers.

"So they are," said Kenneth. "Why, Max, we must go after that fellow
to-morrow. How is it they've come down here?"

"Been shot at somewhere else."

"Hadn't w