ed hunter, "the profession
of flesher was forced upon me. The deer we had slaughtered found it
impossible to win by the gates of Arnprior."

"Ah! John Buchanan then happened to need venison as you passed?"

"Your majesty has hit the gold there. Buchanan not only needed it but
took it from us."

"Did you inform him that your cargo was intended for the larder of the
king?"

"I told him that in so many words, your majesty; and he replied that
if James was king in Stirling, John was king in Kippen, and having the
shorter name, he took the shorter method of supplying his kitchen."

"Made you any effort to defend your gear?"

"Truth to say, your majesty, that were a useless trial. The huntsman
who will face the deer thinks no shame to turn his back on the wild
boar, and Buchanan, when he demanded your majesty's venison, was well
supported by a number of mad caterans with drawn swords in their
hands, who had made up for a lack of good meat with a plentitude of
strong drink. Resistance was futile, and we were fain to take the
bannock that was handed to us, even though the ashes were upon it.
Ronald of the Hills, a daft Heilan'man who knew no better, drew an
arrow to his ear and would have pinned Buchanan to his own gate,
resulting in the destruction of us all, had I not, with my stave,
smote the weapon from his hand. Then the mad youth made such to-do
that we had just to tie him up and bring him to Stirling on the
horse's back like a sack of fodder."

"Your caution does credit to your Lowland breeding, Master huntsman,
and the conduct of Ronald cannot be too severely condemned. Bring him
here, I beg of you, that he may receive the king's censure."

Ronald was brought in, a wild, unkempt figure, his scanty dress
disordered, bearing witness to the struggle in which he had but lately
been engaged. His elbows were pinioned behind him, and his shock of
red hair stood out like a heather broom. He scowled fiercely at the
huntsman, and that cautious individual edged away from him, bound as
he was.

"By my beard! as the men of the heathen East swear," said the king,
"his hair somewhat matches my own in hue. Ronald, what is the first
duty of a huntsman?"

"He speaks only the Gaelic, your majesty," explained the royal ranger.

"You have the Gaelic, MacNeish," continued the king, addressing one of
his train. "Expound to him, I beg of you, my question. What is the
first duty of a huntsman?"

MacNeish, stepping forward, put t