s exploit, and the day's adventure had
done more than he knew towards planting him in the high road to manhood.

The castles were passed in what seemed a wonderfully short time, and the
great wall of cliff loomed up on their left, but they had a long way to
sail before Max suddenly exclaimed,--

"I see them! Look! Kenneth is waving his cap."

"Na; it shall pe ta Scoodrach wi' her ponnet."

Tavish uttered another low, menacing growl of a very leonine nature, and
his eyes were flashing, but they softened into a smile as they
encountered those of Max.

A little while after, with the two boys on high cheering them as they
passed, the boat was run into the little nook and fastened, Tavish
taking the ring of rope and leaping ashore, followed by Max and Long
Shon, who got over the rough rocks and up the gully in a wonderful way,
hopping on to stones and off again--stones which Tavish took in one of
his great strides and with the greatest ease.

It was almost marvellous to Max to see the way in which the great
forester made his way up the gully, so that he would have been at the
top in half the time if he had not kept stopping to reach down his hand
to the lad, who was at various places compelled to climb on all-fours.

"She'll do muckle petter soon," he said, smiling. "Ta legs sail ket
harter. Hey, but it's a sair pity she does not wear ta kilt!"

"She hasna got ta legs for ta kilt," grumbled Long Shon, who was behind;
and Max partly caught his words, and felt a curious sensation of
annoyance at the disparaging remark.

Five minutes later they were on the top, when Tavish went straight to
the spot where the little anchor was forced in between the rocks, picked
up the broken rope, and threw it down again, before stepping to the edge
of the cliff and bending over.

"She shouldna troost to a pit o' line like that."

"How did I know it was going to break?" shouted Kenneth. "It bore me
right enough. It was old Scoody here who was so heavy."

"Ta rope wasna fit to bear a dog," grumbled Scoodrach. "Hech! she shall
break ta rope wi' Sneeshing."

The dog, which had been ready to jump up and greet the new-comers, ran
at this, and looked down, and barked at the speaker, as if disputing his
remark.

"You are going to fasten the line to the anchor, aren't you?" said Max.

"Na," growled Tavish. "She sail come up wi'out ta grapnel."

He threw the coil of rope on the grass, took the end, and made a loop
thereon befo