30 THE SEARCH RENEWED. 



we found ourselves in a pass between two mountain 

 summits, leading into a hollow, on the far side of which 

 was, we imagined, the favourite retreat spoken of by 

 Donald. Here the wind was most violent, sweeping 

 up the brae and whistling round us, as though it would 

 tear the very plaids from our shoulders. No deer were 

 visible ; but, clinging to the hope that the gale might 

 again bring them to seek shelter in the corrie, we 

 seated ourselves behind a rock in the very centre of 

 the pass, resolved to watch for a time at least. 

 Evening was drawing on apace, and if they came at all 

 they would come soon. The wind now gradually 

 increased in violence, so that when we occasionally 

 stepped from the shelter of the rock, and exposed 

 ourselves to its force, we found it almost more than we 

 could do to stand against it. This, however, we 

 reasonably regarded as in our favour, for we were quite 

 sure that no deer could wind us with that breeze in 

 our teeth. For near ma hour we remained in this 

 position, Walter brooding over his pipe, and snugly 

 enveloped in his plaid, while I kept constantly casting 

 an eye down the brae, until my aching sight forced me 

 to desist. At length it began to grow dark, and we to 

 despair ; but, while peering down into the dim shades 

 of the glen below, I fancied I saw something move. I 

 looked again, and again I thought it must be so. I 

 called Walter, who suggested something about another 

 fox. But in spite of his doubts, he too came to look, 

 and confirmed my hopes, there certainly was a moving 

 object, and what was more, moving towards us ; but, 

 though behind us, the sun was still above the horizon, 

 the shade cast over the glen by the mountain to our 

 right was too deep to be pierced, and our patience had 

 yet to be tried a little longer. 



