A DAY AT THE GREAT LOCH. 185 



" Where," Ward inquired. 



" On the far slope at the end of the loch." 



" You have a hunter's eye, Miss Clive ; but no 

 wonder, all in the blood, natural selection, evo- 

 lution, and that kind of thing. Your father was 

 a rare sportsman, and had, I hear, the quickest 

 eye for spying a deer." 



We now proceeded downwards to the loch by a 

 roundabout sort of route, and in half an hour or 

 so came to the boat-house and embarked. A long 

 and strong pull against the wind tried our muscles 

 before we could reach the island, and with some 

 difficulty the ladies were there landed high and dry 

 amongst the rocks. Leaving them with Fred to 

 explore the country, Ward and I rowed away to a 

 bay about a mile off to catch trout for lunch ; and, 

 on returning with the spoil, we had quite a jolly 

 luncheon party; and thereafter a ramble over the 

 island, pebble-gathering, mooning, and moralising, 

 in the easy freedom which is wont where friends 

 are unfastidious and companionable. 



Early in the afternoon we left the island, and, as 

 the wind was in our favour, we put up sail and 

 made a spanking run downwards through the rough 

 water which now rolled in white-crested waves, 



