The Scotch Twins

d in kilts, and when Sandy appeared the next morning, h

xplore. We'll go up the burn and see

who was practical. "I brought a scone wi

he time and take care of themselves, I guess we can do it for one day.

t Alan?" a

t's call three times over, and if we don't see him, we'll hear him," said Jock. "There's

o with the long day which stretched before her, when A

umping a parcel down on the kitchen table an

g scones, and a dozen eggs. "Save us!" cried Jean, claspin

!" said Alan.

hey said you were to follow, and if you didn't find them, keep

pewit's call?

nowing that!" She pursed up her lips an

explained, "unless it's in the Zoo; but I say, Jean, aren't y

unch." She went to the closet and brought out a basket which her father had

thick on the ground, and above them the pine boughs waved in the breeze, making a soft sighing sound, "like a giant breathing," Jean said. The silence deepened as they went farther and farther into the woods. There was only the purring of

Jean to Alan in a hushed voice. "I

ys went. If we should take the wrong si

uckered her lips and gave the pew

the burn makes such a noise. It keeps

ing as close as possible to the stream, until suddenly they found themselves gazing up at a beautiful wa

ut how shall we ge

t find a way

n, looking fearsomely at the cliffs stretching far abov

id Alan, laughing, "but I'm not afraid as long as you'

hen I'm in my own kitchen, but it's

the fall, and now he suddenly disappeared, and for a few moments Jean was quite alone in

e them. "Sal!" she remarked, "we'll be needing wings t

e to catch sight of his legs as he dived into a hole opening into the rocky wall. The cliff from which the water pl

up a narrow passage worn by the water and through holes almost too small to squeeze through, but at last she saw Alan's heels just disappearing over the edge of a jutting rock and knew they were co

om a still higher level, made a barrier on one side of them, and on the other side the cliff rose, a sheer wall of rock. Between the wall of water and the wall of rock there was a cave extending into the so

ou believe this very cave was used by Rob Roy and his men?" and Alan, swellin

e'll just leave the basket here in the cave, and when we'v

above the fall. They struggled on for nearly a mile farther still without finding any trace of the boys, and were beginning to be discouraged, when they saw a break in the trees with gli

the lake were still, and its lovely shores were mirrored on the placid surface. A great eagle soared in stately circles in the deep blue sky. It w

water cow, or a horse may

ds, was a beautiful stag. It poised its noble head, and sniffed the air, as if it suspected there might be human beings about, and then stepped d

rough the screen of bushes which hid the rock and made violent gestures to Jean to make her look, too. Jean crawled on her hands and knees to Alan's side, and when she looked, what she saw made her so angry that she would

load it swiftly into the boat. Then he raced back to the woods again and reappeared, carrying a string of dead rabbits. These also he crowded into the boat, and then, taking up the oars, rowed across the lake to a landing-place on the other side. The children watched him, scar

er himself! That's why he never brings any one before the bailie, though he's always telling about catching th

ck. "I didn't do it, you little spitfire!" he whispered, and Jean moaned, "Oh, I know it,

e city-to Glasgow, or Edinburgh, or even London, maybe-and gets a lot of money fo

an. "Jock would be sure to let his tongue

t was answered from a point so near that they were startled

struck Alan's cap, and, looking around in the direction from which it came, he saw

stream, "Did you see him?" The boys nodded. "Slip back as fast as you can down that side of the burn," Alan said, "and we'll meet at the fall. Wait at

springing from their hiding-place, hurried as fast as they