tarted.

"We must take care we don't bring down the whole stack though," said
my father.

"Even then," I returned, "we could build ourselves up in them, and
that would be something."

"Right, Ranald! It would be only making houses to our own shape,
instead of big enough to move about in--turning crustaceous animals,
you know."

"It would be a peat-greatcoat at least," I remarked, pulling away.

"Here," he said, "I will put my stick in under the top row. That will
be a sort of lintel to support those above."

He always carried his walking-stick whether he rode or walked.

We worked with a will, piling up the peats a little in front that we
might with them build up the door of our cave after we were inside. We
got quite merry over it.

"We shall be brought before the magistrates for destruction of
property," said my father.

"You'll have to send Andrew to build up the stack again--that's all."

"But I wonder how it is that nobody hears us. How can they have a
peat-stack so far from the house?"

"I can't imagine," I said; "except it be to prevent them from burning
too many peats. It is more like a trick of the poor laird than anybody
else."

Every now and then a few would come down with a rush, and before long
we had made a large hole. We left a good thick floor to sit upon.

Creeping in, we commenced building up the entrance. We had not
proceeded far, however, before we found that our cave was too small,
and that as we should have to remain in it for hours, we must find it
very cramped. Therefore, instead of using any more of the peats
already pulled out, we finished building up the wall with others fresh
drawn from the inside. When at length we had, to the best of our
ability, completed our immuring, we sat down to wait for the
morning--my father as calm as if he had been seated in his
study-chair, and I in a state of condensed delight; for was not this a
grand adventure--with my father to share it, and keep it from going
too far? He sat with his back leaning against the side of the hole,
and I sat between his knees, and leaned against him. His arms were
folded round me; and could ever boy be more blessed than I was then?
The sense of outside danger; the knowledge that if the wind rose, we
might be walled up in snow before the morning; the assurance of
present safety and good hope--all made such an impression upon my mind
that ever since when any trouble has threatened me, I have invariably
turned first