A SCHERZO i8i 



of ducks passed over, breaking the silence. The 

 shores of the loch became more and more vague 

 and mysterious as night came on, making distances 

 uncertain ; only far away to the westward a pale 

 green streak of light made the horizon line distinct 

 where a slight breeze ruffled the surface of the 

 water. So still was the air that the puffing of an 

 engine, as it drew a train up the hill towards Dal- 

 whinnie on the Highland line, fully twenty miles 

 away, could be plainly heard. 



Our attempt to catch fish by trolling was even 

 less successful than the casting had been ; and, as 

 the night wore on, my companion and I, comfort- 

 ably curled up at either end of the boat, found the 

 rhythmic sound of the oars, as they gently splashed 

 in the water, more and more soothing; until even- 

 tually we lost all consciousness, and fell into the 

 arms of Somnus — in which blissful state we not 

 improbably awakened the echoes of the loch with 

 our stertorous breathing. Be that as it may, Jimmie 

 was evidently made fully aware of our condition : 

 for close upon two o'clock, just as the early dawn 

 was beginning to break, we were aroused by his 

 gently running the boat aground. We found our- 

 selves near to a cottage, where lived an old lady 



