re lowering it down.

"But you cannot bear him alone?"

"The two," said Tavish coolly, as he threw the coil back now out of his
way.

"Retty?" he cried.

"Yes, all right!" shouted Kenneth; and, standing there at the very brink
of the terrible precipice, Tavish bent down, and drew up the rope hand
over hand till Scoodrach's head appeared, and then the lad reached out,
caught at Tavish's arm, and swung easily on to the top of the cliff,
when the rope was lowered again, and directly after drawn up till
Kenneth's head appeared, and he too swung himself on to the top, and
stood laughing at Max, whose hands were uncomfortably damp.

"Here we are!" he cried. "Thank ye, Tavvy. Why, where are the hawks,
Scood?"

"She prought 'em up herself."

"No, I didn't. I left them for you to bring."

"She never told her to bring ta birds," grumbled Scoodrach, in an
ill-used tone.

"I believe you went to sleep. I've a jolly good mind to pitch you
overboard."

"She's always saying she'll pitch her overpoard."

"There, come along down," said Long Shon.

"No, I'm not going without my birds, Shonny," cried Kenneth. "Here,
Scood, go down and fetch 'em. No; if I send you down, you'll go to
sleep again, and forget them. Here, Tavvy, give us hold of the rope."

"She isna going town gain," remonstrated the great Highlander.

"Oh yes, she is."

"No, no, pray don't venture again!" whispered Max.

"What! and leave those two poor birds to starve? Not I. Here, Tav,
hold tight."

The great forester stood by while Kenneth threw over some fifty feet of
the rope, and then stood smiling grimly, while, in defiance of all
advice, and trusting utterly to the strength of the gillie's arms,
Kenneth seized the rope, and let himself glide over the edge of the
rock, dropping out of sight directly, while Max held his breath, as he
saw the quivering of the forester's arms as Kenneth slipped down.

Then the movement ceased, and Max exclaimed excitedly,--

"Is he down safely?"

"Ou ay! she's all right," replied Tavish, as he gazed calmly down.
"Come and look."

Max shook his head. He had had shocks enough to his nerves that day,
and could bear no more.

Long Shon, however, went to the edge, and stood looking down with a grim
smile. Sneeshing did the same, and barked; while Scoodrach threw
himself down, and lay on the edge of the cliff looking over.

"Haul away!" came from below, and Tavish drew up a pair of coarse
worsted stockin