o myself. A great
loneliness came over me, and I wished the dogs had waited.

And as I made my way home, I thought of that little whimpering wean in
the crook of Scaurdale's arm, and wondered how she would fare on board
the _Gull_, for by Dan's word I kent McGilp had shone the flare away
seaward. Scaurdale, it seemed, would be hiding the wean in fair
earnest now, and McGilp I kent would whiles be on the French coast.
But never a word did I get from Dan for many's the day about Belle, or
McGilp, or Scaurdale--we talked of horses and sheep, until the coming
of Neil Beg.

[1] Courting, clandestine courtship.

[2] Sheepfold.

CHAPTER IV.

I MEET JOCK McGILP AND HIS MATE McNEILAGE AT THE TURF INN, AND
LEARN WHAT HAS BECOME OF THE WEAN IN THE TARTAN SHAWL.

We were at common work enough, Dan and me, in the Blair Mhor when the
night clouds were banking behind the Blackhill to swoop down on the
fast flying winter afternoon. Indeed, it was a matter of a braxy ewe,
and the poor beast lay at the hedge-side and the blood clotting at her
throat, for Dan had bled her, and the briars o' many a brake trailed
behind her.

"Braxy and oatmeal, Hamish," says he, "there's many a lusty lad reared
on worse; but we'll be hivin' tatties and herrin' for a change, and
plenty o' sour milk tae slocken the drouth o' it."

And as he stooped to tie the ewe's clits together to make her a handier
load, I looked round me at the cold bare trees, asleep till the spring
would waken them with sap. The hills were bleak and barren, the rocks
harsh and cold with no warm crotal on them, and just the reek from the
houses rising into the frosty sky.

The night was just down on us, when I heard the lilt o' a whistle,
clear as a whaup's, and with a great melody. To us there came
whistling a kilted lad, his knees red as collops, for he had waded the
burn, and the cheeks o' him glowing like wild roses.

"Ah-ha, Neil Veg," cries Dan, for he made a work wi' weans always, "is
it stravagin' after the lassies ye are this bonny nicht?"

"Indeed no, it iss not that; it's yourself I'll be after," shrilled the
lad, wi' a burning face.

"And what for will ye be after me, Neil Veg?"

"I will be tellin' you by yourself alone, for my father will be sayin'
to me, 'Did you find him, and him alone? '"

At that Dan took him a step aside, with a wink to me not to be minding,
and the lad delivered his message in Gaelic and sped away, and his
clear whist