ccompanied by Laddie, were crossing the moor. 'I wonder
whether she's sorry about something?'

'I did not notice anything,' said Allan.

Tricksy had almost said, 'No, boys never do, but checked herself in
time.

The road between Ardnavoir and Corranmore led across the northern part
of the island, through fields and moorland. All the turnings of the
way brought into view fascinating glimpses of the sea, running inland
between brown rocks. Fishing-boats with white and russet sails lay
upon water turned to a sheet of silver by the sunlight, and grey and
white gulls floated about and screamed.

The breeze was blowing shoreward, tempering the warmth of the sun and
bringing brine and the odour of seaweed to mingle with the perfume of
bell-heather from the moors.

Laddie stepped lightly beside his young friends, waving his tail in the
air, and now and again pausing to investigate a rabbit-burrow or an
interesting tuft of heather or cotton-grass.

'Well, Tricksy, getting tired yet?' said Allan to his little sister
after they had walked between three and four miles.

'Not a bit,' replied Tricksy, trudging along determinedly, but with a
little roll in her gait which betrayed that she _was_.

'I think we'll rest awhile,' said Allan, and the three young folk sat
down upon a patch of fragrant, springy heather, while Laddie, after
looking at them for a minute, surprised at such an early halt, curled
himself up beside them.

'I wish Father would get the yacht out soon,' said Allan, watching the
sea and the fishing-boats.

'Yes,' said Reggie; 'he is very late this year.'

'He won't be long now,' said Allan. 'We are going to have visitors
soon. Father has written to ask Graham major and Graham minor and
their Pater to come and stay with us as they have such long holidays
this year, owing to the measles.'

'Who are they?' inquired Reggie.

'Fellows from my school. Did you never hear me speak of them?'

'_I_ didn't,' said Tricksy. 'Are they nice boys?'

'Decent enough.'

'Big or little?'

'One's a small fellow; only been at school one term. The other's
bigger; not more than eleven, though; more of an age for Reggie than
for me.'

Reggie looked indignant, but said nothing. There was nothing that
annoyed him so much as to be reminded that he was not yet a very big
boy.

'Well,' said Allan, 'perhaps we had better be going, if you have rested
enough, Tricksy. Hulloa, there's Euan Macdonnell, the coastguard,