1 68 HILLSIDE, ROCK, AND DALE 



Before he ascended the steep, narrow staircase, he 

 listened to some little noise which sounded as if 

 someone was moving about upstairs. He knew there 

 was no other person there, and thus became still 

 more frightened. At length the noise ceased, and he 

 reached the room at the top of the first flight of 

 stone steps, and again stood still and listened. The 

 next minute he was upon his back, exceedingly 

 terrified, but not much hurt. The goat had ascended 

 the stairs before him, and as soon as he reached 

 the room the creature, in supposed self-defence, 

 " rammed " him in the stomach and knocked him 

 down. His first impression was, naturally, that St. 

 Cuthbert was bent on killing an unbidden intruder, 

 but on rising to receive another attack he discovered 

 who was the assailant, and drove the unfriendly 

 animal downstairs. 



In the little sandy bay which affords a landing- 

 place there was a family of birds which were of 

 never- failing interest. These were ringed plovers. 

 Their eggs were laid on the sand just above high- 

 water mark, and when we arrived their young were 

 nearly full grown. I used to lie amongst the grass 

 to watch these elegant birds, and having a pair of 

 powerful binoculars I saw them as if they were within 

 arm's length. 



The two parent birds are together, " working " 

 round large stones left uncovered by the receding 



