White Wings, Volume III

ad got about as low as it could go with decency; and yet this next morning was more beautiful, and

ou?" the Admiral calls out

t a voice in return,

ceives the ruddy-faced Docto

ailing weather you w

lies, as he comes down the rigging;

into the gig and go away up to the head of the loch there, and shoot every living thing you can see. Do you

e says,

ny wind to take us into a civilised place, you m

hn comes aft, t

s never seeing the like

d you bring us in here because there was a convenient place

ohn, with a grin; but looking

s. She turns and regards this small boat approaching the yacht; a

"this is about the coolest

e yacht; and her only companion is the Youth, who is content

racious sarcasm. "Pray don't exert yourself too much

e rope; there is a fine b

ult," he says; "she w

? Where are the duck, and the snipe,

game about this coast, you'd better wait ti

t the birds. Much to everybody's amazement, one drops, and instantly dives. Then begins an exciting chase. The biorlinn is sent careering with a vengeance; the men strain every muscle; and then another cry directs attention to the point at which the duck has reappeared. It is but for a second. Though he cannot fly, he can

"that bird will cost us t

en our natural history is put to the test. This is no gay-plumaged sheldrake, or blue-necked mallard, or saw-toothed merganser. It is a broad-billed duck, of a sooty black and grey; we begin to regret our expenditure of c

ed; for right in the middle of it we are attracted by a strange appearance in the south. That dark line beyond the yacht: is it a breeze coming up the loch? Instantly the chase after mergansers ceases; cartridges are taken out; the two or three birds we have got are put out of the way; and the Laird, taking the tiller ropes, sits

ely boat swings along; and with the measured b

ly, and al

o, cl

rong pull

o, cl

owing breez

the snowy c

o, cl

rong pull

o, cl

the bree

the joyous h

o, cl

rong pull

o, cl

in great delight. "Give it her, boys! Not o

es away from her rudder. It is a race of the

o, cl

rong pull

o, cl

are incontinently bundled below, to be out of the way of flapping sheets. Then, all hands at the halyards! And by the time the great White Wings are beginning to spread, the breeze stirs the still air around us; and the peak sways gently this way and that; and they who are hard at work at the windlass are no doubt grateful

ed yesterday nothing is visible but a wan and sultry glare. Then, afar, we can hear a noise as of the approach of some storm; but perhaps it is only the low sound of the swirling of the tides round the shores. Presently another sound attracts attention-a murmured hissing, and it comes nearer and nearer; dark spots, about the size of a threepenny-piece, appe

a school of dolphins, racing each other, and springing twenty or thirty feet in the air before they come down with that heavy thud on the water. Those of us who have watched the beautiful lithe fish racing and chasing by the

Laird, suddenly becoming aware of

y and anxiously. "She is doing something to one of h

hich is meant to be very significant, "There is never any harm in hard work. Let her

ok on her face; and she quite peremptorily negatives a suggestion of the Youth that he should

essage that needs no speech-a message that only says, "About with the yacht, and let us run away to the northern seas and Stornoway?" The friend of these two young people can hardly conceal her anxiety. She has got hold of the case of an opera glass,

sultry mist in the south is deeper in its gloom. This condition of the atmosphere produces a vague sense of something about to happen, which is in it

forward to An

d what think ye o

nd for a second looks at the Laird as if

te right. It does look as if we

he turns to

d have no fear of-none! Keep her away from the shore, and we are all rig

up to the bow. He is alone there; for the men have gone below f

and walks timidly forward to the bow of the yacht. She regards him somewhat anxi

not going very near Jura, if it is W

d she saw by his face tha

a low voice; and her earnest, kind eyes regard

es

clined to say more; but presently

t leave you the first

Ang

d in that low, piteous voi

hat no one should hear. "It is only a misfortu

s; don't

from Edinburgh. I knew that. I knew I was ha

he said, "I don't know," with an air which said she had ceased to take any further care in Mary Avon's actions. And at dinner, what heed did she pay to the fact that Mary Avon was rather white, and silent, and pained-l

deck, and when she was preparing to go too,

k to you," said the l

rned-only f

d she; "and it would not be right for me to intermeddle

rawn; the girl retired to th

out. Night was coming on; dirty-looking weather seemed to be coming up from the south; and the mouth of West Loch Tarbert is narrow and shallow in parts, and studded with rocks-a nasty place to enter in the dark. Moreover, when should we ge

l night; if only the men would take their turn at the look-out, one at a time. He was sure he could make the channel, if we reached

n down goes the helm; her head slews round with a rattling of blocks and cordage; the sheets of the head-sails are belay

ove seems to feel her way through the gloom. All eyes are on the look-out; and there is a general shout as we nearly run on a buoy set to ma

ay. The saloon is not the saloon when Mary Avon is out of it; here is her chair next to his as usual, but it is vacant. How are

n," says her hostess. "I s

t asked! And can it be really Mary Avon that she