instead of tramping up and down,
evidently supremely happy at the diversity of noises he made.

Max seized the opportunity of Donald's back being turned, and made a
sign to them to come down; but they only laughed, keeping their heads
just in sight, Scoodrach's disappearing and bobbing about from time to
time, as he grinned and threw up his fingers, and seemed to be going
through the motions of one dancing a reel.

Max would have shouted to them to come down, but at the thought of doing
so a feeling of nervous trepidation came over him. Donald had looked
half wild when the dog interrupted him; how would he behave if he were
interrupted again, just as he was in this rapt state, and playing away
with all his might?

The lad subsided in his seat, and with wrinkled brow gazed from the
piper to the heads of the two boys, both of whom were laughing, and
evidently enjoying his misery.

And now for the first time it struck Max that he had been inveigled up
there through the planning of Kenneth, who knew his dislike to the
pipes, and had told Donald that he was anxious to hear him play.

His face must have been expressive, for Kenneth was laughing at him, and
whispered something to Scoodrach, who covered his mouth with his hands,
and seemed to roar to such an extent that he was obliged to bend down.

As Scoodrach reappeared, he climbed up so as to lie flat on the top of
the wall, leaning his head down when Donald came toward him, and raising
it again as the old man turned.

The medley of Scottish airs ceased, and at last Max thought his penance
was at an end, but in an instant the old man began again blowing hard,
and playing a few solemn notes before approaching quite close to Max,
taking his lips from the mouthpiece and whispering sharply,--

"Ta Dirge o' Dunloch."

Then whang! wha! on went the depressing strain Sneeshing being heard to
howl in the distance.

Max felt as if he must run, and in his despondency and horror, knowing
as he did that if he did not do something the old half-crazy piper would
keep him shut up there and play to him all day, he waited till Donald
had approached close to him, and, as the old man turned, he stretched
out a leg ready. Then, waiting till he had been across the room, come
back, and was turning again, Max cautiously slipped off his seat, and
was about to dash for the door, when there was a shout, a scuffle, a
thud, an awful pipe yell, and Donald came staggering back, uttering a