that this was no haunt for human beings; and as they tramped
on, following the windings of the valley, the impression grew stronger
and stronger that theirs were the first, possibly might prove to be the
last, human feet that had ever traversed this stony desert.

"She dinna see nae heather," said Watty suddenly, "an' she dinna see nae
bluebell; but it's verra bonnie oot here, Meester Steve. Will ta
captain be gaen far awa?"

"Oh yes, a long way yet, Watty. We've got to shoot some deer to take
back."

"Eh? Shoot the deer an' tak' back! But she'll be hungry sune, and when
she's shot a teer she'll mak' a fire and roast her. For she's a fine,
gude cook now, and wad like to stay ashore now and build a hoose and
shoot and hunt. Wait a wee, and she'll mak' a bonnie fire."

"What of?" said Steve, laughing. "We haven't shot our deer yet; and if
we had, there's no wood here."

"Thenk o' tat," said Watty, cocking his bonnet on one side to give his
head a scratch. "Nae wud! She's nane sae fine a countrie as bonnie
Scotland, then. Nae wud!" he continued, looking round. "But she'll
find a forest over yonder?"

"No, there are no trees here."

"Then she'll mak' a fire o' peat. She'll find plenty o' turves doon
alangside o' ta bilberries."

"Yes, you may find turf, and perhaps coal; but we shall see."

They had to hurry a little to overtake the party, and this was soon made
easier from their halting about a mile farther inland, where the captain
was gazing up the stony slope of the mountain to their left.

Steve looked up, expecting to see some particular plant or perhaps bird;
but he was soon undeceived by the doctor handing his rifle to Andrew and
climbing up a little way to kick off some masses of something and throw
them down.

"What has he found, Captain Marsham?" said Steve; "gold?"

"What is far more valuable to us, my lad--coal. Yes," he added, as he
examined the specimen which he had picked up, "and good, soft,
bituminous coal, too. Why, Steve, this is going to be a land of plenty
for us. A coal vein cropping out of the cliff-side, ready for us to
come with picks, sacks, and sledges to carry off as much as we like."

"She's pit petter coal than tat into the galley fire," said Watty, who
had followed the example of the others and picked up a piece to examine.
"Leuks brown, Meester Stevey. Does she thenk it wud burn?"

"We'll try as soon as we get a deer to roast, Watty."

"Hey, leuk at tat!" c