land for ever!" cried Drummond, tossing his pith helmet in the air
and catching it again.

"By all means," said Bracy. "Scotland for ever! and if the snow-peaks
were out of sight wouldn't this be just like a Scottish glen?"

"Just," said Roberts, and Drummond looked pleased.

"Here, how am I to speak if you boys keep on interrupting?" he said.

"Speak on, my son," said Bracy.

"Well, I was going to say these fellows have come down like a deputation
to see if we will be friends; and if we show that we will, I think now
that all the rest will follow in the course of a few weeks, and there
will be peace."

"And plenty?" said Bracy.

"Of course."

"No, my boy; you're too sanguine, and don't understand the hill-man's
character."

"Seen more of it than you have," said Drummond.

"Possibly; but I think you're wrong."

"Oh, very well, then, we'll say I'm wrong. But never mind that. We've
done the fighting; the niggers are whopped, and here we are with the
streams whispering to us to come and fish, the hills to go and shoot,
and the forests and mountains begging us to up and bag deer, bear, and
leopard. I shouldn't be at all surprised even if we came upon a tiger.
They say there is one here and there."

"It is tempting," said Bracy. "I long for a day or two's try at
something."

"Even if it's only a bit of a climb up the ice and snow," put in
Roberts.

"All in turn," said Drummond. "Well, then, when we go back to mess this
evening, let's get some of the other fellows to back us up and petition
Graves to give us leave."

"No good," said Roberts; "I know him too well. I have asked him."

"And what did he say?" cried Drummond eagerly.

"As soon as ever I can feel that it is safe," said Bracy. "I was
there."

"Oh!" cried Drummond.

"He's right," said Roberts. "I don't believe that we can count upon
these people yet."

"Then let's have a thoroughly good fight, and whack them into their
senses. We're sent up here to pacify these tribes, and I want to see it
done."

"So do we," said Bracy; "but it must take time."

"Don't believe that any one else thinks as you do," said Drummond
sulkily; and they toiled on in silence till they came near the side of
the falling water, whose rush was loud enough to drown their approach;
and here they all seated themselves on the edge of the mere shelf of
rock, trampled by many generations of sheep, dangled their legs over the
perpendicular side, and listened to t