pronouncing my name. I am called the Guidman of
Ballengeich, very much at your service, sir."

"Guidman, meaning farmer of course?" asked Dunvegan.

"Meaning small farmer," said the king with a graceful inclination of
the head.

The tones of the MacLeod had not been too cordial from the first, but
they became less so at this confession of low quality on the part of
his visitor.

"You will forgive my ignorance, but where is Ballengeich?"

"It is a little steading near Stirling, but of more value than its
size would indicate, for I am fortunate in possessing the custom of
the court."

"You cater for the castle then?" asked MacLeod frigidly.

"Yes, in various ways."

MacLeod turned from his loquacious guest as if he desired to hold no
further converse with him, and thus, however crafty he might be, he
convinced the king that the castle had no suspicion whom it held.
MacLeod said abruptly to his other visitor, fastening his piercing
eyes upon him,--

"I heard you were prisoner at Stirling?"

"Prisoner, sir!" cried MacDonald angrily, the red colour mounting to
the roots of his hair. But before he could speak further his garrulous
companion struck in.

"What an absurd rumour. MacDonald a prisoner! I assure you he was no
more a prisoner at Stirling Castle than he is at this moment in
Dunvegan Castle."

"Ah," said McLeod turning again to the farmer, his eyes partially
closing, examining the other with more severe scrutiny than had
previously been the case. "He was at liberty to come and go as he
pleased, then?"

"As free as air, sir; otherwise how could he have visited my slight
holding and thus become acquainted with me?"

"I thought perhaps he had met you in the courtyard of Stirling with a
sack of corn on your shoulder."

The king laughed heartily at this.

"I said a _small_ farmer certainly, but I am not quite so unimportant
as you seem to imply. I have a better horse to carry my corn than the
one that to-day carried me to Dunvegan."

The laird ignored this disparagement of his cattle.

"You came to Skye then to see the king's boat, of which you had heard
favourable report? The news of her seems to have travelled very
quickly."

"Indeed and that's true," said the king complacently. "Information
spreads rapidly in the Highlands."

"It seems to spread to the Lowlands as well. You heard the king's
proclamation perhaps?"

"Yes, we heard the pronouncement."

"It's possible you came from the fleet?