ave.

But he could not, and, going down on hands and knees, he crept
cautiously toward the brink, and then stopped and uttered a cry, for
something made a leap at him.

It was only Sneeshing, who had been forgotten, and who had been enjoying
himself with a quiet hunt all to himself among the heather. As he
trotted up, he became aware of the fact that his young master's visitor
was turning himself into a four-footed creature, and he leaped at him in
a friendly burst of greeting.

"I--I thought somebody pushed me," gasped Max. "Call the dog away."

"Down, Sneeshing!" cried Kenneth, wiping his eyes. "Oh, I say, Max, you
made me laugh so--I nearly went overboard."

Max gave him a pitiful look, and, from crawling on hands and knees,
subsided to progression upon his breast as he came close to the edge of
the rock and looked shudderingly down.

"See the nest?" said Kenneth, as he exchanged glances with Scoodrach.

"No, no. I can see a great shelf of stone a long, long way down,"
replied Max, shuddering, and feeling giddy as he gazed at the shore,
which seemed to be a fearful distance below.

"Well, that's where the nest is, only right close in under the rock.
Lean out farther--ever so far. Shall I sit on your legs?"

"No, no! don't touch me, please! I--I'll look out a little farther,"
cried Max, in alarm.

"D'ye think if ye teuk her legs, and she teuk her heat, we could pitch
her richt oot into the sea, Maister Ken?" said Scoodrach, in a low,
hoarse voice.

Max shot back from the edge, and sat up at a couple of yards' distance,
looking inquiringly from one to the other, as if fearing some assault.

"You'll soon get used to the cliffs," said Kenneth. "I say, look,
Scoody!"

He pointed out across the wide sea-loch, and Max could see that two
sharp-winged birds were skimming along in the distance, and returning,
as if in a great state of excitement about their nest.

"There they are, Max, the pair of them," said Kenneth.

"Isn't it cruel to take their nest, supposing you can get it?" said Max.

"Oh, very," replied Kenneth coolly. "We ought to leave it alone, and
let the young hawks grow up and harry and strike down the grouse and eat
the young clucks. Why, do you know how many birds those two murder a
day?"

"No," said Max.

"Neither do I; but they do a lot of mischief, and the sooner their nest
is taken the better."

"I did not think of that. They're such beautiful birds upon the wing,
that it