ooking round piteously, "it was a
pran new pahg, it was a pran new pahg."

"What!" cried Kenneth and Max, as a light struck in upon them, and the
circle of sympathisers pressed round; "is the bag burst?"

"Purst!" groaned Tonal' mournfully; "ant I tried so hart to haud her up,
but she couldna dae it, and come doon setting on ta pran new skin.
Tidn't she hear her co pang?"

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX.

"SUIT OF ANDREW BLANDE."

A shriek of hearty laughter rose as poor Tonal's naive question was
heard, and the old man tucked his pipes under his arm, and then took
hold of the sheath and raised his claymore to return it to its peaceful
state; but, as he raised the glistening basket-hilt to the full length
of his stretch, it fell from his grasp with a clang upon the stones; the
old man's eyes closed, and he would have fallen, had not Max thrown his
arm about his waist.

"Oh, Donald, old man!" cried Kenneth piteously; "I wouldn't have laughed
if I had known."

"Whisht, laddie!" said Tavish. "Lat me tak' him;" and, raising the old
man in his arms, he bore him through the gates and into the servants'
quarters. Here he was laid upon a bed, and the whisky Grant had brought
applied to his lips.

"Oh, if we only had Mr Curzon here!" whispered Max.

"Nay, laddie, we dinna want him," said Tavish. "There's naething proken
but ta pipes--nae banes. He's a bit shakkit i' ta pack. It's a coot
way doon."

Just then the old man revived and looked round wonderingly, and his eyes
flashed directly, as there was a loud barking again from the dogs.

"Dinna ye hear?" he cried; "dinna ye hear? Ta enemy of ta Mackhai!"

"Tavish! Scoody!" cried Kenneth excitedly. "Come on!"

"Na," said Scoodrach, grinning; "it's naething but ta togs."

"But the gates! the gates!"

"She shut 'em up chust noo, and it's ta togs that canna get in."

A watch was kept as soon as the old man had been ministered to, and
Tavish seemed to be right: Donald had been terribly shaken, but no bones
were broken. He displayed a good deal of solicitude at one minute,
though, and looked round wildly.

"What is it, Tonal'?" said Kenneth, taking his hand.

"Gude laddie," he replied,--"gude laddie; but ta pipes--ta pipes!"

"You shall have a new set," cried Kenneth.

"Yes; I'll buy him a set," cried Max.

"Na, na. T'auld pipe is ta best. Lat 'em lay 'em here."

"Here?" said Kenneth inquiringly.

"Yes, laddie, here."

The old man's whim was gratified,