hut.

"Two dog-sleighs!" exclaimed Ian, turning from the loop-hole with a look
of surprise.

"Flora and Elise!" cried Kenneth and his father, in the same breath, as
they started up eagerly and hastened to the door.

They were right. Flora, jumping out of the furs of a vehicle which
resembled a slipper-bath, and was drawn by four panting dogs, ran into
the hut, exclaiming, "Dear father," and threw her arms round the neck of
the elder McLeod, who was not slow to return the embrace. Elise entered
with smiling face, and curtsied to the young men, who advanced and shook
her heartily by the hand.

"Hould their hids, Mister Kenneth," exclaimed the driver of the foremost
sleigh, as he sought to undo the traces of the dogs. "Sure they're all
alike--horses or dogs, they never _will_ lay still when they're wanted
to; bad luck to 'em intirely. Me heart is all but broke. There--git
along wid ye."

"Don't be hard on them, Rooney," said Kenneth, laughing, "they seem to
have done good service."

"True for ye," replied Rooney, "it wouldn't have bin aisy to git the
ladies down here widout 'em, the snow was so soft wi' the thaw that it
nigh tore the snow-shoes off me feet, an' my poor legs is at laist three
inches longer than whin I set out, if not four."

"Well, Flo," said Ian, "although I know you to be a resolute girl, I
didn't believe you would undertake a journey over a country without a
road at such a season of the year."

"I _knew_ she would come," said her father, patting the girl's head
tenderly, "but didn't expect her quite so soon."

"That's just the reason why I came," said Flora, bustling about the room
in search of a reasonably clean spot, on which to deposit her fur cap
and muff; "I wanted to take you by surprise, you dear old duck. Here,
Elise, take these things and put them on a bed, or something of that
sort, if there is one in the house. I declare there is not a spot in
this room that is not covered with smoke and grease. How can you be so
dirty? It is high time that Elise and I came to put your house in
order. You needn't laugh, Kenneth, you ought to be ashamed of
yourselves. This is dinner-time, I fancy. Have you any to spare for
us? Let me see--but stay; first tell me how you have been and what you
have done, and--"

"Please, Miss," said the maid, returning from a little side-room, "there
isn't a spot clean enough to put your things on. The beds are no better
than the chairs and tables."