e of trees. They were dwarfed and ordinary-looking
plants, saxifrages and other alpine growths, and so insignificant, that
in another part of the world they would have been looked upon as paltry
weeds, but here they were rushed after by both the lads, Watty being
down on his knees directly to pick a handful.

"Leuk at her," said Andrew contemptuously. "She always thocht the
callant had a bee in her bonnet. She's gane daft aboot the bit weeds."

But Steve was quite as "daft"; and in the course of their searching for
fresh blossoms they came in contact over a tuft which each had espied
from a distance, and paused a yard apart, with eyes glistening from
eagerness and hand outstretched, the other holding a spare rifle over
the left shoulder. Neither spoke for a moment or two, and then Watty
broke the silence and looked quite friendly at his young superior; while
Steve waited, expecting to hear some unpleasant remark, or to see some
annoying gesture, on the lad's part.

"I dinna want them," said Watty at last. "She'll find plenty mair.
Hey! but it does the hairt good to see the bonnie bit floores ance mair.
Peck them and come alang, Meester Stevey, and we'll be finding
bilberries oot yonder on ta brae."

"There's plenty for both, Watty," said Steve; and, in the most friendly
way brought together by the tiny blossoms, the lads gathered each a
handful, Steve sticking his in his breast, and Watty taking off his
flat, Celtic, worsted bonnet, laying the flowers carefully therein, and
then replacing it upon his bear's-greasy, shock head.

"She'll pit them in watter when she gets back," he said. "Hey! but it
does her hairt good to rin amang the floores again."

Their party was well on ahead, and they trudged after them together
along the valley, with the mountains running steeply up on either side,
in places up and away to where the dull green moss and tufty growths
gave way to bare patches of stones, and still up and up to where the
loose stones were succeeded by rock sheathed and netted with snow. Just
above this was the eternal, glittering ice, dazzling in the soft glow of
the sun, whose light looked cold and calm, and gave the wondrous
landscape a saddened aspect; for, in spite of its beauty and the variety
of tint of the mountain-side, Steve felt that there was a something
mournful about the valley, though why he could not explain.

It was singular, but every step impressed his more thoughtful companions
on ahead