no answer none was given, and Donald
seemed to regard his companion as one who was rather weak-minded.

"Have we come half-way yet, Donald?"

"No--no' near."

"Is it difficult to find the rest of the way from this point?"

"No; but it wad be diffeecult to miss it."

"Well, Donald, my boy, I have a strong desire to be alone--that is, to
try if I cannot go the rest of the way without guidance; so, if you will
just give me a little direction, I'll let you go home, and many thanks
for coming thus far. Now, point out the landmarks."

He turned, as he spoke, towards the grand mountain that still towered
behind him.

"There's naethin' t' pint oot," returned the boy; "ye've only t' haud on
by this sheep track till ee come close under the cliff yonder."

"The Eagle Cliff?"

"Ay. It'll bring ee to a cairt road, an' ye've only to follow that
through the pass, an' haud on till ee come to the hoose. Ye can see the
hoose frae the other side o' the pass."

"And what is the `hoose' called?" asked Barret.

"Kinlossie."

"Thank you. Good-bye, my boy."

A few coppers sent the youth of the ragged head away in high spirits.
The young man watched him till he was concealed by a clump of small
birch trees that hung like a fringe on the top of a neighbouring
precipice. Barret had just turned to continue the ascent to the Eagle
Cliff, whose frowning battlements still rose high above him, when a wild
shout from the boy made him turn and look anxiously back. The place
which he had reached was strewn with great masses of rock that had
fallen from the cliffs. He was about to clamber on to one of these, in
order to obtain a better view, when the cause of the shout became
obvious. A splendid stag, frightened from its lair by the boy, burst
from the birchwood, and, with antlers laid well back, bounded up the
slope towards him. It was closely followed by two does.

Barret crouched at once behind the mass of rock. The deer, thinking,
doubtless, only of the danger behind, had failed to observe him.

"Oh for Giles, with his rifle!" thought the youth, as the agile
creatures passed within less than a hundred yards of him, and headed
straight for the pass of the Eagle Cliff.

Scarcely had the thought occurred, when a flapping noise behind caused
him to turn quickly. It was the eagle himself, sailing majestically and
slowly overhead, as though he knew full well that an Englishman without
a gun was a harmless creature!

Conside