y islands have we in Orkney? Can you tell me that?"

"Seventy-two--twenty-eight islands and forty-four holms."

"And can ye name them all, the twenty-eight islands?"

"Yes, the dominie taught us them last Martinmas;" and I proceeded
to name them, from the North Ronaldsay down to the Muckle Skerry of
Pentland.

"Very good!" said my father; "and d'ye ken ony thing about the
sounds? Where's the Sound o' Rapness?"

"There's a puzzle for ye, Hal," said my mother.

"Ah! I warrant the laddie kens it," said Mansie.

"Is it not between Westray and Fara?" I ventured doubtfully.

"Right again!" exclaimed Mansie, slapping his knee. "Oh! we'll mak'
a pilot o' the lad yet."

"Ay," said my father, "we maun hae him aboard the first fine day."

"Dear me, father," objected my mother, "d'ye really think it wise
to tak' the laddie frae the school, an' him gettin' on sae weel wi'
the dominie?"

"Tut, goodwife," said he, "the laddie maun begin to learn the
piloting some time; an' the sooner the better, say I.

"Hand me over the tobacco jar, Jessie."

Chapter XVI. Wherein I Go A-Fishing.

A few days after the sailing of the Lydia the weather broke. The
morning mist lay heavy on the islands, and the lofty Ward Hill of
Hoy hid his crown in the lowering clouds; the Bay of Stromness was
glassy calm. High above the rain goose shrieked its melancholy cry,
and the sea mews and sheldrakes, even the shear waters and bonxies,
flew landward to the shelter of the cliffs. On the upland meadows
the cows sniffed the moist air and refused to eat, and the young
lambs sought the protection of their parents' side.

My sister Jessie, with evident thought of Captain Gordon, noticed
these signs of approaching storms.

But if to her they portended ill, to me they meant good sport; for
what could be more favourable to a day's fishing than a sprinkle of
rain and a good westerly wind?

Telling my mother one Saturday morning that I would stay over
Sunday at my uncle Mansie's farm at Lyndardy, I started off with my
fishing tackle and my dog, with the intention of catching a few
trout in the stream I had so strongly recommended to the
schoolmaster.

The dog was certainly no necessary companion for a fishing
excursion; but Selta had learned to follow me on such occasions
without interfering with my sport, and I got into the way of
talking with her, and found comfort in her dumb companionship.

Passing through the hamlet of Howe, I reached th