llowed the robbers, and found them
in a forest feeding joyously on a slain bullock belonging to his
grandfather. As each Macallister finished picking a bone, he would throw
it violently against a big stone, remarking at the same time, with a
chuckle: "_If a Macivor were here, that's how I would treat him_." The
boy, from his hiding-place in the foliage, threw a stone and struck one
of the feasters. The injured man blamed one of his own clansmen, and,
after much recrimination, a free fight of Macallisters was the result.
During the melee, the boy slunk off and told his mother's family what
was happening. The Macivors, in a furious and determined band, soon fell
upon their disordered foes, and completely routed them and regained
their cattle, _minus_ the consumed bullock. The chief of the
Macallisters was slain by a woman, who took off her stocking, placed a
_large stone therein_, and heaved it at his head. That same night, Mrs.
Macallister, wife of the chieftain thus ignominiously laid low, gave
birth, perhaps prematurely, to a son, whom the care of a discriminate
midwife secreted from the vengeance of the Macivors, who were howling
all round the house. This child grew up to manhood with the picture of
the stone-laden stocking ever before his mind's eye. He prepared a most
effective retaliation: he sent to Ireland and got over a large band of
Antrim men, who were quite pleased to help him in his bloody projects.
The Macivors were completely overpowered, and even the Macvicars had a
taste of Irish steel. Macvicar, father of the boy who distinguished
himself in the wood, was attacked in his own house. He was an athlete of
great powers, and was _able to jump thirty feet either in a backward or
a forward direction_. The Irishmen set fire to his house, and
Macvicar--hoping, no doubt, to make a final leap for life--tried to
escape by the chimney. His foes struck him on the knee with a spear: he
fell into their hands, and was at once despatched.

RED HECTOR.

We hear a good deal of the Irish in the traditions of Argyllshire. The
ruthless Colkitto, notorious for his own deeds and also for Milton's
mention of him, brought over a contingent of men from Ireland to help
Montrose in the Royalist wars. These auxiliaries swooped down on
Kintyre, murdered hundreds of Campbells, and devastated with fire and
sword the whole of Argyll's country. To this period belongs the story of
Red Hector and the Irish colossus, Phadrig Mor.

Hecto