EXPLORING THE COUNTRY. 11 



" You defamatory young imp ! May the gnats 

 punish your white shanks. Where did you get that 

 kilt?" 



" In Glasgow ; is it not neat ? I got two a grey 

 and a brown, when Messrs. Ward and Abbott were 

 yawning in bed, or decorating their comely persons." 



"Do you know, Fred, you look exactly like the 

 pretty kilted ballet girls meant to represent young 

 Norvals." 



"Keep thy compliments, Sir Knight, for a certain 

 sweeter cousin. At all events, the kilt is an im- 

 provement on your ginger-brown knickerbocker rig, 

 which makes the darling of the ladies like a big 

 Cochin China cock." 



"That's right," said the Major, "keep these tall 

 tyrants in order, and I'll back you always two against 

 two. Shall we start now?" 



The keeper had gone on some time before, and we 

 sent Dick with him ; for, anticipating the usefulness 

 of that universal genius, we desired he should know 

 the whole bearings of the country, so as to find us at 

 any time or place. As expected, Dick soon knew 

 the whole district nearly as well as the keepers, and 

 we could calculate on his meeting us with letters, 

 &c., in any part of this wild country. 



