aid Scood, pushing off his shoes, and then
setting to work to rid himself of his coarse grey socks, as if he were
skinning his lower extremities, after which he grumpily began to load
his shoes as if they were mortars, by ramming a rolled-up-ball-like sock
in each.

"Nobody wants you to care, Rufus," cried Kenneth.

"My fathers were once chiefs like yours," continued Scood, amusing
himself by sopping up the water and squeezing the sponge with his toes.

"Get out! Old Coolin Cumstie never had a castle. He only lived in a
bothy."

"And she can tie like a mans. It's a coot death to trown."

Scood was getting excited, and when in that state his dialect became
broader.

"Only you'll get precious wet, Scoodie," cried Kenneth mockingly.
"Never mind; I shall swim home, and I'll look out for you when you're
washed ashore, and well hang you up to dry."

"Nay, I shall hae to hang you oop," cried Scood. "D'ye mind! Look at
the watter coming in!"

"Then sop the watter up," cried Kenneth mockingly, as a few gallons
began to swirl about in the boat.

"Is--is it much farther?"

"No, not much. Can you see the North Pole yet, Scood?"

Max looked bewildered.

"No, she can't see no North Poles," muttered Scood, as he diligently
dried the boat.

"Never mind; I can steer home without," laughed Kenneth. "There we are.
You can see Dunroe now."

They were just rounding a great grey bluff of rock, and he pointed to
the old castle, as it stood up, ruddy and warm, lit by the western glow.

"I--I can't see it. Is it amongst those trees?"

"No, no. That's Dunroe--the castle."

"Oh!" said Max; and he sat there in silence, gazing at the old ruin, as
they rapidly drew nearer, Kenneth, after giving Scood a laughing look,
steering so as to keep the boat direct for the ancient stronghold, with
its open windows, crumbling battlements and yawning gateway, which acted
as a screen to the comfortable modern residence behind.

The visitor's heart sank at the forbidding aspect of the place. He was
faint for want of food, weary and low-spirited from the frights he had
had, and, in place of finding his destination some handsome mansion
where there would be a warm welcome, it seemed to him that he had come
to a savage dungeon-like place, on the very extreme of the earth, where
all looked desolate and forlorn among the ruins, and the sea was beating
at the foot of the rocks on which they stood.

In an ordinary way Kenneth would hav