The Scotch Twins

it heard Tam bark she dashed out of sight behind a burdock leaf and sat perfectly still. Now if Tam and Jock had come into the garden by the wicket gate, as they should have done, this story migh

for dear life toward the hole in the stone wall where she had got in. Shouting and barking, Jock and Tam tore after her. Round and round the garden they flew, but just as they thought they had her corne

ection. He owned the little gray house and the moor, the mountain, and the forest, and even the little brook that sang by the door. To be sure, the Laird seemed to care very little for his Highland home. He visited it but once in a great while, and then only for a few days' hunting. The rest of the year his great sto

o succeed in catching them and bringing them before the magistrate, his tales were a warning to evil-doers and few people dared venture into the region which he guarded. He was often seen creeping a

g dashed past him, and an instant later something else struck him like a thunderbolt from behind, and drove him headforemost into the brook! It wasn't Tam that did it. It was Jock! Of course, it was an accident, but Angus thought he had done it on purpose, and he

ou were running after that rabbit, and your dog is yelping down a hole after her this minute!" He was such a funny sight as he knelt there, dripping an

ged to accept it, and together the two started up the slope to the little gray ho

one on the girdle, when the noise at the door made her jump and look around. She was so amazed at the sight which met her eye that for an instant

king mud all over her kitchen floor at the same time, instead of being frightened, as she shoul

s instant," she shouted, "and take

his sister's side, while Tam, seeing that trouble was brewing, gave a low

ters to shake, "has been trespassing. He was after a rabbit. I caught hi

ught you were a stone, and I just meant

he didn't have time to say so before Angus, choking with rage, made a furious lunge for his ear and l

ight in this house, And you take yourself out of it this

e floor but at Tam, for Tam was now slow

the door in two jumps with Tam leaping after him and nipping his heels at each jump

being treated in this way, and it's no wonder he was angry. He

r I catch you poaching again, I'll have you u

ck, so he stamped away growling. The children watched him until he disappeared in the woods, and when at last

Sabbath, and the kitchen floor to be scrubbed, and, last of all, the family baths! When the little kitchen was as clean as clean could be, Jean got

d she, "you go at on

he shut him up in the kitchen with soap and a towel while she took all the shoes to the front steps to polish for Kirk on the morrow. When at last Jock a

enly remembered his duties and started away over the moors to meet the Shepherd and round up any sheep that might hav

birds were singing their evening songs, and when they went into the kitchen a bright fire was blazing on t

told about Jean's ordering him out of the kitchen, and of his jumping to the door with Tam nipping at his heels, the Shepherd slap

ide of position, he's like to burst himself. He needed a bit of a fall to ease him of it, but I'd never

oods are full of them, and there'll not be a sprig of green left in the

s garden one night last week and left not a green sprout in it by the morning. The creatures must live that idle gentlemen may shoot them for pleasure, even though they eat our food and leave us to go hungry." H

re a little frightened. They were too young to know the long years of inju

s. Mr. Craigie told me last week that the Auld Laird has taken a whim to turn all this region into a game preserve, and that he will not renew our lease when the time is up. It has till autum

sped Jock. He felt that his wo

but a wee bit of a village, and the law gives him the right, for times have changed since that lease was made, long years ago, and there are few in this day who would venture to enforce it. But the Auld Laird's a hard man, I'm told, and he chooses hard men to carry out his will. Mr. Craigie has little heart, and as for Angus Niel, he'd make things worse rather than better if he had his way." Th

ck, "will he turn every

y his own will to consider, but my opinion is he'll turn out those whose holdings li

something to comfort their sad hearts. At last Jean lifted her head with a spirited toss and said, "G

augh brightened the little kitchen an

true spirit of a Campbell in you. We must aye do

ag-at-the-wall clock struck eight. The Shepherd sat alone beside the fire until the children were in bed and asleep; then he sent Tam to the straw