s.

"I only saw the officers--Captain Laurence and a naval
lieutenant--besides that smooth rascal McClure from Stonykirk!"

Even then Patsy hardly dared tell her father how unconventionally she
had been clad, but she plucked up heart and went through with it.

"I ran from the Maidens' Cove at the foot of the Mays glen along the
sands, and through the heather. I had Uncle Julian's yellow sandals on
my feet and I got there in time for the lads to scatter, though I had
started after the boat had passed out of sight round the Black Point."

"They knew who you were?" her father asked.

"Certainly, I told them," said Patsy, eagerly. "I said also that they
had no right on my father's land. We had no sailors or fisher folk on
Cairn Ferris."

"Right enough," said her father, "but I hope you were not hasty with the
men. Laurence is an honest enough fellow, doing an unpleasant duty, and
the others--well, they are apt to find ways of revenging themselves."

"Oh," said Patsy, suddenly radiant, poising her small black head, "I
think they rather liked talking to me. I had Jean's dress kilted below
the knee. It was blue, and went well with the yellow cross leathers of
the sandals. I had a broad sash about my waist, too."

"What difference did that make?" her father asked.

"Oh, none to you, father," Patsy answered saucily, "but to them it
seemed to make quite a lot of difference."

Adam Ferris shook his head in reproof.

"You grow reckless, Patsy," he said, "either I must send you away where
you will have ladies of your own position to look after you, or we must
marry you out of hand and let your husband be responsible for you!"

"If you want me to run away, dad, just keep on talking to me like that.
I won't have any old 'camel' women to rule over me. I am not going to
leave home, but when I want to get married I shall make my own
arrangements and then--tell you afterwards."

"Surely you will ask my permission?"

"The same sort of permission you asked when you ran away with my mother
from the door of the Edinburgh Assembly rooms!"

Adam Ferris smiled grimly.

"What is allowable for a man does not always become a woman," he said.

"But what holds for one Ferris becomes another," his daughter retorted.

"Jeddart justice," said her father, still smiling; "then you will marry
first, and ask permission afterwards."

"Exactly," said Patsy, cheerfully. "I knew I could make you understand."

CHAPTER VI

HIS ROYAL