t'll be after us in a moment;'
and just as he spoke, the ram set off as fast as it could in our
direction. You can imagine how we rushed down the hill. The ram looked
so fierce, we were dreadfully frightened, and I thought perhaps it would
gore us like a bull. At the bottom of the field there was a stream.
Colin called to me to get across by the stones, and I tried, but I was
in such a hurry that my foot slipped, and I fell into quite a deep pool
up to my waist. The ram seemed at first as if it meant to follow me, for
it came a little way into the water; but it changed its mind, and turned
round and went up the hill again. Colin fished me out of the water, but
I was dreadfully wet, and so out of breath with running, I felt as if I
couldn't walk home; so he took me to a farm close by, and the people
dried my clothes. They were very kind, especially when they heard about
the ram. They said it was really a savage one, and it might have hurt
us if it had caught us. They were obliged to kill it that autumn, and
they sent the horns to Uncle as a present; and he had them mounted, and
gave them to me. When I see them hanging there, I often remember how
fast Colin and I ran that day."

"I should think you have splendid times in Scotland."

"So we do. We go there nearly every summer, and stay either with
Grandfather or one of our uncles. When we're at Grandfather's we have to
go to church on Sunday in the boat across the loch. It's so nice,
especially if we go to the evening service, and row back just at sunset.
Then on weekdays we go fishing. I caught a salmon all by myself last
year. I was so proud. Grandfather didn't touch my line, he only told me
what to do. We took a photo. of the salmon, and I had it framed. It's
there, hanging on the wall. You must look at it, and at some of my other
pictures."

"I like that picture best," said Patty, smiling, and pointing to a
corner where there was a little stained-glass window opening on to the
landing. Against the outside of this two noses were flattened, and two
pairs of eyes were plainly visible gazing into the room with deep
interest, while a peculiar noise, something between giggling and
snorting, seemed to indicate that the owners of the eyes and noses were
making an effort to subdue their mirth.

"Nell and Jamie!" cried Jean, springing up in a hurry. "They are the
most outrageous children!"

There was a loud scuffle, the sound of a falling chair and of flying
footsteps, and