ter inquiring for the palace, made his way
there.

He was struck by the number of soldiers in the streets, and with
the neatness, and indeed almost stiffness, of their uniform and
bearing. Each man walked as if on parade, and the eye of the
strictest martinet could not have detected a speck of dust on their
equipment, or an ill-adjusted strap or buckle.

"I hope they do not brace and tie up their officers in that style,"
Fergus said to himself.

He himself had always been accustomed to a loose and easy attire,
suitable for mountain work; and the high cravats and stiff collars,
powdered heads and pigtails, and tight-fitting garments, seemed to
him the acme of discomfort. It was not long, however, before he
came upon a group of officers, and saw that the military etiquette
was no less strict, in their case, than in that of the soldiers,
save that their collars were less high, and their stocks more easy.
Their walk, too, was somewhat less automatic and machine-like, but
they were certainly in strong contrast to the British officers he
had seen, on the occasions of his one or two visits to Perth.

On reaching the palace, and saying that he wished to see Marshal
Keith, he was conducted by a soldier to his apartment; and on the
former taking in the youth's name, he was at once admitted. The
marshal rose from his chair, came forward, and shook him heartily
by the hand.

"So you are Fergus Drummond," he said, "the son of my cousin
Maggie! Truly she lost no time in sending you off, after she got my
letter. I was afraid she might be long before she could bring
herself to part from you."

"She had made up her mind to it so long, sir, that she was prepared
for it; and indeed, I think that she did her best to hurry me off
as soon as possible, not only because your letter was somewhat
urgent, but because it gave her less time to think."

"That was right and sensible, lad, as indeed Maggie always was,
from a child.

"She did not speak too strongly about you, for indeed I should have
taken you for fully two years older than you are. You have lost no
time in growing, lad, and if you lose no more in climbing, you will
not be long before you are well up the tree.

"Now, sit you down, and let me first hear all about your mother,
and how she fares."

"In the first place, sir, she charged me to give you her love and
affection, and to thank you for your good remembrance of her, and
for writing to her so often, when you must hav