Three Boys | Page 4

like a shelf of the huge rock, which, a peninsula at low, an
island at high water, towered up from the blue sea an object of
picturesque beauty, and a landmark for the sailors who sailed among
the fiords and rocks of the western shore.
The scene around was glorious. Where the soft breeze did not turn the
water into dazzling, rippling molten silver which sent flashes of light
darting through the clear air, there were broad bands of still water of a
brilliant blue; others beneath the shelter of the land were of a deep
transparent amethyst, while every here and there mountainous islands
rose from the sea, lilac, purple, and others of a delicate softened blue,
which died away into the faintest film.
Shoreward, glorified by the sunshine, the mountains rose from the
water's edge; grey masses of stone tumbled in confusion from a height
of four thousand feet to the shore, with clusters of towering pine and
larch and groups of pensile birches in every sheltered nook. Here the
mountain showed patches of dark green and purple heath; there brilliant
green and creamy beds of bog moss, among which seemed to run
flashing veins of silver, which disappeared and came into sight, and in
one place poured down with a deep, loud roar, while a mist, looking
like so much smoke, slowly rose from the fall, and floated away with a
rainbow upon its breast.
On every side, as Kenneth Mackhai gazed around from the rocky foot
of the mouldering old castle, there were scenes of beauty which would
have satisfied the most exacting. Cloud shadow, gleaming sunshine,
purple heather, yellow ragwort like dusts of gold upon the mountain
side, and at his feet the ever-changing sea.
It was all so lovely that the lad stood as if entranced, and exclaimed
aloud,--

"Bother!"
Then there was a pause, and, with an impatient stamp of his foot, he
exclaimed,--
"Oh, hang it all! what a bore!"
But this was not at the scene around. Ken had looked upon it all in
storm and sunshine ever since he could toddle, and he saw none of it
now. His mental gaze was directed at the salmon stream, the trouty
lochs, the moors with their grouse and black game, and the mountains
by Glenroe where he was to have gone deer-stalking with Long Shon
and Tavish, and with Scood to lead the dogs, and now all this was to be
given up because a visitor was coming down.
"Ah-o! ah-o!" came from the water, and a boat came gliding round
from the little bay behind the castle, with Scood standing up in the stern,
and turning an oar into a fish's tail, giving it that peculiar waving
motion which acts after the fashion of a screw propeller, and sends a
boat along.
But the boat needed little propelling, for the tide swept swiftly round by
the rocky promontory on which the castle stood, and in a few minutes
Scood had run the little vessel close beside a table-like mass of rock
which formed a natural pier, and, leaping out, rope in hand, he stood
waiting for Kenneth to descend.
"Look here, you sir," cried the latter; "didn't I tell you to put on your
shoes and stockings?"
"Well, she's got 'em in the poat all ready."
"I'll get you in the boat all ready!" cried Ken angrily. "You do as you're
told."
"And where am I to get another pair when they're worn out?"
remonstrated Scood.

"How should I know? There, jump in."
Ken set the example, which was followed by Scood, and, as the boat
glided off, yielding to the stream and the impetus, a miserable yelp
came from the rocks above, followed by two dismal howls in different
keys. Then there was an atrocious trio performed by the three dogs,
each of which raised its muzzle and its eyes skyward, and uttered an
unmusical protest against being left behind.
"Yah, kennel! go home!" roared Kenneth; and the collie and deerhound,
after another mournful howl apiece, went back, but the grey terrier paid
no heed to the command, but came closer down to the water, and
howled more loudly.
"Ah, Sneeshing!" cried Scoodrach.
"Yow--how!" cried the dog piteously, which evidently by interpretation
out of the canine tongue meant, "Take me!"
"Will you be off?" shouted Kenneth.
"How-aoooo!"
"If you don't be off, I'll--"
The lad raised his gun, cocked both barrels, and took aim.
The effect upon the ugly little terrier was instantaneous. He tucked his
tail between his legs, and rushed off as hard as ever he could lay leg to
rugged rock?
Nothing of the kind. He took it as a direct insult and an injurious threat.
Raising his stumpy tail to its full height of two inches, without counting