boat was gone.

'Comes of not having fastened her securely,'. said Allan; 'the current
has carried her away.'

'What shall we do?' said Marjorie. 'We'll have every one coming to the
island. Hide Neil; let's pile all the heather on the top of him----'

'What's the matter?' cried Neil from the hut. 'Why are you waiting?'

'The boat's gone,' they cried.

Neil came out.

'Mine's still there, on the other side,' he said. 'Take her, and some
of you can come back for me.'

'Oh, Neil, we couldn't do that! What if any one were to come in the
meanwhile?'

'We must risk it. It will be better than bringing the whole boat-load
upon us. Quick, get in; they will be shoving down the boat.'

In another minute they had pushed off, leaving Neil behind.

When the boat left the island the figures on shore stood still and
waited; and half-way across Marjorie waved her handkerchief.

'It's Father,' said Tricksy, 'with Mr. Graham and Duncan and a lot of
others; and there's Laddie jumping about and barking.'

'Allan,' said Marjorie, touching his arm, 'there's Andrew MacPeters, do
you see him? standing behind the others.'

The boat glided in beside the landing stones, while a row of anxious
faces watched and waited.

'Down, Laddie,' said Mr. Stewart, as the collie rushed forward with a
joyful welcome. 'So there you are,' he said to the young people. 'You
are not cold, are you?'

'We're all right, Father,' said Allan. 'We landed on that island
yesterday evening and we were surrounded by the tide-way so we could
not return. I hope Mother was not anxious. We thought you would
rather we stayed there than tried to cross when the current was
flowing.'

'You were quite right not to try to get back under these
circumstances,' said Mr. Stewart gravely; and the young people knew
that he had been anxious, although he did not wish to blame them.

Mr. Graham said nothing, but after his eyes had travelled over the
group, and he had, as Tricksy afterwards expressed it, 'counted his
boys,' he placed himself between them and set off in the direction of
Ardnavoir, still without speaking except to ask them whether they had
wet feet.

Reggie, as the quickest runner, was sent on ahead to tell his mother
that they had returned, and a brisk walk brought them all to the house.

'By the way,' said Mr. Stewart as the young people were refreshing
themselves with a good breakfast; 'what man was that who was with you
on the island?'