1 8 The Naturalist of Cumbrae. 



CHAPTER III. 



SPORT AND DANGER. 



As may well be supposed, parting with Donald was 

 a great grief to his trainer, who not only lost the 

 pleasure of riding him, but, what he valued still more, 

 his companionship. No doubt the colt itself had 

 even greater reason to regret a change which involved 

 its separation from so considerate and sympathetic a 

 friend. 



David, however, on his part, though regretful, was 

 not of a temper to be downcast and disheartened by 

 the inevitable. To use a Scotch expression, his 

 loss did not cause him to weary, nor indeed, during 

 all the time of his cow and sheep herding, did he 

 ever find time to weary to fancy that the times were 

 out of joint, to be bored with existence, or to ask 

 himself the question whether life was worth living. 



Though, as we have seen, he was ready upon oc- 

 casion to join in competitive strife and indulge " the 

 last infirmity of noble minds," he was equally content 

 to find satisfaction in treasures which no one could 

 grudge him. The skins of adders, moles, and mice 

 were prizes to him, and it was not his fault if any 

 escaped that came in his way. He knew the habits 

 and calls and nests of all the birds on the moorland 



