Leod, and the prone man helplessly waving
his hands, shouted,--

"Unfair, by Saint Andrew, unfair! Curse the foe who attacks a man from
the rear."

[Illustration: "THE TWO WENT OUTSIDE AND TOOK THE ROAD BY WHICH THEY
HAD COME."]

THE KING SAILS

The young men awoke somewhat late next day with heads reasonably
clear, a very practical testimonial to the soundness of their previous
night's vintage.

"What's to be done?" asked the king.

MacDonald proposed that they should repair instantly to MacLeod and
demand of him conveyance and safe conduct to the mainland.

"We can scarcely do that," demurred the king, "until we are sure that
detention is intended. Let us put the matter at once to a practical
test, and see if we are prevented from leaving the castle. If we are,
then is the time for protest."

Acting on this suggestion, the two went outside and took the road by
which they had come. They found an agile young gillie at their heels
before they were out of sight of Dunvegan.

"Why are you following us?" asked MacDonald, in Gaelic.

"I was told to wait on your lordships," returned the man.

"We need no waiting on; turn back."

But the gillie shook his shaggy uncovered head and patiently trod in
their footsteps.

"Let us see how far he will follow," said the king as he strode on.
The gillie accompanied them for half an hour or more without making
any protest, but at last he said to MacDonald that he thought it was
time to return.

"We are going through to the coast we came from," replied MacDonald,
"and do not intend to return."

At this the gillie drew from his belt a short black tube that looked
like a practising chanter, which indeed it was, and on this he blew a
few shrill notes. Up to that moment the way had been clear, but now
there appeared over the hill in front of them a dozen armed men, who
approached carelessly as if they had merely happened to be in the
neighbourhood, or were journeying together toward the castle.

"I think it is time to go back," suggested the gillie in a dull,
uninterested voice.

"I think it is myself," replied MacDonald.

And so the futile excursion came to an end.

Once more in the castle they were confronted again by the question,
What next?

"I am certain," said the king, "that if MacLeod is attempting to hold
us, there is little use in making appeal to him, and we have small
chance of getting word to the fleet. I propose then to coerce him. He
was alon