INVERNESS-SHIRE. 115 



on a wolfs den, the master promptly asking his man 

 whether he would choose to enter and destroy the cubs 

 or remain outside to keep guard against an attack 

 from the old ones, should they return ; the man 

 electing to stay without, his master forthwith crept 

 into the lair, and had no sooner disappeared from 

 view than the old wolves were seen approaching, 

 whereupon the man at once took to his heels without 

 even warning his laird of the danger. Macpherson, 

 however, being a strong, active man and well-armed, 

 killed the old wolves one after the other, and then 

 coming out of the cave, he saw his servant a long 

 way off, and dissembling the contemptuous anger he 

 felt at his servitor's cowardice, he recalled him and 

 continued his way, merely saying that as it was now 

 late he intended to remain for the night in a forest 

 bothy near by. It was quite dark by the time this 

 was reached, and Macpherson, who entered first, 

 stretched out his hand to gather some dry heather 

 from the bothy bed in order to get material for a 

 fire, when to his surprise he found his fingers resting 



