much at home, looking very glum
indeed. Sandy was with him, wearing a face as solemn as a funeral
procession. Jock and Jean saw them coming and hailed them with a
shout, and Tam, who had not quite recovered from his injury, came
dashing down the brae on three legs to greet them. Even Tam's
joyful bark did not lift the shadow from their faces.

Jean cried out from the top of the brae, "Whatever can be the
matter with you? You're looking as miserable as two hens in a
rainstorm!"

"Trouble enough," answered Sandy, and Jean and Jock at once came
hurrying down the slope to hear the bad news. They met at the
river-side, and Sandy, who was bursting to tell it, cried out,
"What do you think? Alan's got to go home! His mother's sent for
him!" One look at Alan's melancholy face confirmed this dreadful
statement and the gloom instantly became general.

The Clan sat down on the ground in a depressed circle to discuss
the matter and its bearing on their plans.

"Don't you think your mother would let you stay if you should ask
her?" suggested Jock.

"No," said Alan, with sad conviction. "She said I was to come at
once, and I'll have to start this very afternoon. I'm to drive
down to the boat and get to Glasgow by water; I'll spend the
night there and go on to London in the morning."

"Sal, but you'll be seeing a lot of the world," said Jock. "I
wish I were going with you."

"I wish you all were," said Alan.

"We'll likely be having more traveling than we want," said Jean,
"when we have to give up the wee bit hoosie and go out and walk
the world." She looked up at the little gray house as she spoke,
and her eyes filled with tears.

"It's the end of the Clan; that's what it is," said Sandy with
deepening despondency.

"Oh, come now!" said Alan. "It's not so bad as all that, and I'm
surely coming back next summer. I know my mother'll let me, for
she'll see how much good it's done me to be here. Just look at
that," he added, baring his arm and knotting his biceps.
"Climbing around the cave and chasing after Angus Niel have made
me as tough as a knot. She won't know me when she sees me."

"I wonder if we shall know you the next time we see you, if we
ever do," said Jean.

"Ho!" said Alan, trying to smile gayly, "of course you will! I'll
have a sprig of the evergreen pine and give the pewit call, and
then you'll be sure."

"What good will your coming back next summer do us?" said Jock.
"We shan't be here to see you! Our