fraid I'm very cowardly," said Max sadly.

"Oh, come, now I'm sure of it!" cried Kenneth warmly.

"That I am a great coward?"

"No; that you're full of pluck. My father says that a fellow must be
very brave to own he is a coward. Come on."

They started up the side, with Scoodrach following close behind.

"Going up to ta top o' ta fa's, Maister Kenneth?" shouted Long Shon.

"Yes. Coming with us?"

"She'd petter tak' care," cried Tavish. "There's a teal o' watter, and
ta stanes is ferry wat."

"All right, Tavvy; we'll mind," cried Kenneth; and he plunged in among
the bushes and rocks, to begin climbing upward in and out, and gradually
leaving the rushing waters of the fall behind, while, as the misty foam
with its lovely ferny surroundings faded from the eye, the loud splash
and roar gradually softened upon the ear till the sound was once more a
deep, murmurous hum, which acted as a bass accompaniment to a harsh,
wild air which Scoodrach began to sing, or rather bray.

Kenneth stopped short, held back the bushes of hazel dotted with nuts,
and turned round to give Max a comical look.

"What's the matter, Scoody?" he cried. "Eh? ta matter? I only
scratched my hand wi' a bit thorn."

"Oh! Well, you needn't make so much noise about it."

"Noise spout it! She titn't mak' nae noise."

"Yes, you did. You hulloaed horribly."

"She titn't. She was chust singing a wee bit sang."

"Singing? Did you say singing?"

"Ay, she was chust singing ta Allambogle."

"Do you hear that, Maxy? he thinks he was singing."

"Wah!" ejaculated Scoodrach; and the little party climbed on, with Max
wondering how anybody could find breath to make such a noise when
climbing up so great a steep.

In a few minutes the sound of the fall began to grow louder once more,
and a shrinking sensation to attack Max; but he put a bold face upon the
matter, and followed close to Kenneth till the latter turned to him.

"Here we are," he said, "close to the spout." Max looked, but could see
nothing, only a dense tangle of hazel stubbs among the green moss, at
whose roots grew endless numbers of fungi, shaped like rough chalices,
and of the colour of a ripe apricot.

"I can't see it."

"No, not there; but you can here."

As he spoke, Kenneth divided the bushes, and held them apart for his
companion to join him, and the next moment they were standing on the
brink of a narrow rift in the rock, so narrow that the bush-tips met
overh