Ken--haud yer wheesht!" cried the big
forester angrily. "What would she pe for if it wasna to help ta young
Chief o' ta Mackhai? Why, Long Shon here and she would lie doon for ye
to walk upo' us if it would do ye good."

"Ay!" cried Long Shon.

"Noo then, slow and steady. Come along, Maister Max; and we'll be doon
to the sands before Scoodrach can get across ta bay."

The great fellow walked slowly and carefully down the gully; but, before
they had gone far, Kenneth's head dropped, and they laid him down again,
to revive him after a few minutes by bathing his face on the brink of
the rushing stream, after which Tavish raised him as tenderly as if he
had been a baby, and bore him in his arms.

They reached the shore at last, after a very slow progress, to find
Scoodrach approaching fast, and tugging at the oars with all his might.

"Is ta Mackhai at hame?" cried Long Shon, as the boy came within hail.

"Na," shouted Scoodrach, without turning his head, and toiling away till
he was close in, when he reversed the boat, and backed in till she
grounded on the sand.

The pillows were there, so was the whisky, but no one touched it.
Kenneth was laid carefully in the stern, and Max supported him,
Scoodrach scowling angrily at being sent into the bows; while the two
men made the water surge beneath the keel till they reached the rock,
where, once more taking the injured lad in his arms as if he were a
babe, Tavish carried him up the rock, and then right up to his bedroom,
where he stopped and tended him as carefully as a trained nurse.

"I've been a' ower him, Maister Crant, and ye may rest easy till ta
Mackhai comes pack. If she likes to sent for ta toctor, weel, let her
sent; pit there's naething wrang wi' the laddie, nae banes brukkit, and
naething wrang inside. She has gien her heit a gran' ding or twa, and
she's verra sair, and she's been maist trooned. I've seen to manny a
worse hurt than hers, so let the bairn go to sleep, and we'll see her
when she wacks."

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE.

AN ANXIOUS TIME.

The Mackhai did not return home till the next morning, and his first
inquiry was why had not a doctor been fetched.

He nodded with satisfaction at the answer he received.

Tavish and Grant had sat up all night with their young master, and Max
had been to them at least a dozen times, for a consultation to be held
at daybreak, and for Tavish to agree that something must be done.

The result had been tha