164 AUTUMNS IN AKGYLESHIRE 



but a mist, although it splashed round the house 

 like a shower-bath or, at least, it must have 

 been less on the hills at the sources of the Add 

 so the dog-cart is duly ordered to be at the door 

 at 10.30. My wife, after vainly expostulating, 

 suggests that I should put on a pair of shooting- 

 boots instead of waders, so that " if I should have 

 a gleam of sanity I can walk home. Surely, at 

 any rate, I will not take the child with me?" But, 

 the child, an embryo schoolboy of nine, and myself, 

 being of a different opinion, the majority of voices 

 carry the day ; and at the hour fixed for starting 

 we both mount the dog-cart in high glee, fully 

 persuaded that, although the rain is still falling, 

 it really is the clearing shower which has been 

 prophesied for the last six weeks and has arrived 

 at last. 



Faith is rewarded this time. Before we have 

 got to the lodge the clouds are rising over Jura, 

 and very rapidly the whole glorious panorama 

 opens upon our view. As the mist disperses the 

 wind freshens, and the sun actually shows signs 

 of vitality after his long sulks. There go eight 

 ravens over our heads, winging their way from 

 the shores of Loch Awe to the distant islands. 

 They may croak away ; we have too firm a belief 

 in our luck to be turned from our purpose by their 

 dissonant voices ; besides, we are used to them 

 it seldom happens that a day passes without our 

 seeing or hearing several. They may be trapped 



