"that it is them wee
deevils the grasshoppers!"

A very few minutes proved old McKay's surmise to be correct. Once
before, the colony had been devastated by this plague, and the memory of
the result was enough to alarm the most courageous among the settlers
who had experienced the calamity, though the new arrivals, being
ignorant, were disposed to regard the visitation lightly at first.
McKay himself became greatly excited when the air became darkened by the
cloud, which, ever increasing in size, rapidly approached.

"Haste ye, lads," he cried to some of the farm-servants who had joined
the group on the verandah, "get your spades, picks, an' shovels. Be
smart now: it is not possible to save all the crops, but we may try to
save the garden, whatever. Follow me!"

The garden referred to was not large or of great importance, but it was
a favourite hobby of the Highlander, and, at the time, was in full
bloom, luxuriant with fruit, flower, and vegetable. To save it from
destruction at such a time, McKay would have given almost anything, and
have gone almost any lengths. On this occasion, not knowing what to do,
yet impelled by his eagerness to do something, he adopted measures that
he had heard of as being used in other lands. He ordered a trench to be
cut and filled with water on the side of his garden nearest the
approaching plague, which might--if thoroughly carried out--have been of
some use against wingless grasshoppers but could be of no use whatever
against a flying foe. It would have taken an army of men to carry out
such an order promptly, and his men perceived this; but the master was
so energetic, so violent in throwing off his coat and working with his
own hand at pick and shovel, that they were irresistibly infected with
his enthusiasm, and set to work.

Old Duncan, did not, however, wield pick or shovel long. He was too
excited for that. He changed from one thing to another rapidly. Fires
were to be kindled along the line of defence, and he set the example in
this also. Then he remembered that blankets and other drapery had been
used somewhere with great effect in beating back the foe; therefore he
shouted wildly for his daughter and Elise Morel.

"Here we are, father: what can we do?"

"Go, fetch out all the blankets, sheets, table-cloths, an' towels in the
house, girls. It iss neck or nothin' this tay. Be smart, now! Take
men to help ye."

Two men were very busy there piling up little he