NIGHT IN THE WILDERNESS. 161 



passage. Thinkest thou we had not best return?' But 



Scobie's bare knees were now beginning to emerge from 



the flood, and in a few .seconds more three of us stood upon 



the further bank, while Barry, making a few desperate 



plunges, also gained a firmer footing in more shallow 



water, and was soon landed in safety. Well, it was now 



two in the morning, and we were still doubtful where to 



turn. But Scobie, after snuffing about for a few minutes 



like a pointer, seemed to ascertain some landmarks, and 



starting across the heath, he led us in another quarter of 



an hour to a hut about the size of a pea-stack. All was 



solemn and silent for a time, till Ave groped out the door. 



He gave a tap, and was answered in Gaelic. He appeared 



to give a short statement of our case and condition, 



and, from a few interjectional 'Oich, oich's!' from within, I 



judged that the heart of woman was at last subdued. 



Suffice to say that we were admitted. We found a lone 



woman, a girly of about ten, and a litter of younger children. 



We had no candle, but the woman soon blew up the embers 



of a peat fire, which occupied the centre of the room, and 



then ever and anon lighting small lath-like jneces of some 



resinous wood, she threw a bright glare over the strange, 



incongruous group by which she was surrounded. There 



Was the martial Highlander, with his rosy limbs fresh from 



the crystal stream, standing erect with his plumed bonnet 



on his head, and one of the lighted sticks between his 



L 



