326 Four-inHand in Britain. 



smile ever lies so near the tear. It had to be a lively 

 luncheon, that was all there was about it ; and when 

 duty calls it doesn't take much to start our boys to 

 frolic. A few empty bags which we had used for horse- 

 feed in emergencies suggested a sack-race. Such roars 

 of laughter when one or the other of the too ambitious 

 contestants went to grass ! This was a capital diversion. 

 Any one looking down upon us (but in these lonely glens 

 no eye is there to see) would never have imagined that 

 this sport was started only as a means to prevent the 

 travellers becoming mournful enough for a funeral. A 

 little management is a great thing; it pulled us through 

 the last luncheon with only tears of laughter. 



" In, Joe ! Right, Perry ! Sound the horn ! All 

 aboard for Inverness ! " There was something in the 

 thought, " We have done it," which kept us from regret, 

 although the rebuke came sharply from the ladies, as 

 one pointed out another milestone, " Oh, don't, please ! " 

 With every white stone passed there was a mile less of 

 Arcadia to enjoy. Over moor and dale lies the way, a 

 beautiful drive, gradually descending for many miles, 

 from about twelve hundred and fifty feet above the 

 sea level at Dalwhinnie to a few hundred only near In- 

 verness. 



At last the call is made, " Stop, Perry ! Capital of 

 the Highlands, all hail ! Three rousing cheers for bonnie 

 Inverness ! " There she lies so prettily upon the Moray 

 Frith, surrounded by fields of emerald green, an un- 



