A DAY AT LOCH-NA-SEACHIN. 175 



pany," drawled the little man, while he twisted an 

 imaginary moustache. 



This evening and the following day were passed 

 in preparations for expected guests; and it was 

 nearly six in the afternoon before the carriage drew 

 up at the Lodge, and daylight of civilisation beamed 

 on our bachelors' camp in the advent of Mrs. 

 Peyton and two charming girls, a French maid, a 

 poodle, and a world of boxes. Greetings and intro- 

 ductions being speedily accomplished, the travellers 

 were carried off by Janet Cameron to the ladies' 

 gallery. 



"We had made the old-fashioned dining-room as 

 neat as possible : the polished arms glittering on 

 the walls were intermixed with flowers and fern ; 

 and Ward had placed for each of the girls a 

 bouquet of white heath centred with a blush rose. 

 The evening being warm, the windows were thrown 

 open, and the ladies sat down to dinner in full view 

 of glen and mountain. 



This, our first attempt, got on famously every- 

 one pleased and cheerful. Dick waited with the 

 power of half-a-dozen servants; while Burmah 

 flitted about in snowy turban and gorgeous scarf, 

 gravely dispensing cunning compounds of wine and ice. 



