ong
the stream, but was stopped by the roughness of the ground.

Norman though clinging to a few tufts of grass or small shrubs was
unable to regain a footing. He slipped down lower and lower, till he
fell with a plunge into the stream. The water was sufficiently deep to
prevent him from being hurt by the fall, but the current was strong, and
though his head was above the surface, he was unable to resist it, and
carried off his legs was borne down the stream.

Robby had a handkerchief tied in a sailor's knot round his neck, and as
Norman passed close to the bank, he threw the end to him. Norman
grasped it, and held on tightly while Robby kept a firm hold of the
other end. But Robby was small, and the stream bore Norman onward. As
long as he could, Robby scrambled along the bank, thus keeping Norman
above water.

The other boys hurried down the rocks to assist him, but just before the
foremost got up to where he was, Robby lost his balance, and falling
into the water he and Norman were carried down the stream together.

Old Alec had seen the boys and heard their cries, and guessing that
something was wrong, happily at that moment shoved his boat up the mouth
of the stream as far as she could go. To throw his grapnel to the shore
and to spring overboard was the work of an instant, directly he saw the
two young boys floating down towards him. He had them safe in his arms
before either of them had lost consciousness, and placing them in the
boat he rowed as fast, as he could to the landing-place below the spot
where the picnic party were still seated. They, alarmed by the cries of
the other boys, one of whom shouted out in his terror that little
Vallery was being drowned, started to their feet.

Alec's loud voice which reached them, as he hailed in sailor fashion,
"They are here all safe," somewhat reassured them.

Captain Vallery and Mrs Maclean, were the first to get to the boat.
They were followed by Fanny and her mamma.

Norman was quickly lifted out of the boat by his papa, who was not till
then satisfied that he was really alive. He was at once carried up to
the knoll, where a fire had just been lighted. The laird came up
directly afterwards with little Robby in his arms, having gleaned from
Alec and the other boys exactly what had happened.

"I find, Vallery, that your son owes his life to this little fellow, for
had it not been for his judgment and courage, he would have been carried
into the loch