286 MUSTARD AND PEPPER 



though he always answered the calls made to him, it 

 soon became evident that the passage was blocked. 

 The keepers waited on for some hours, but finally, 

 their efforts being unavailing, they left, getting home 

 about nine o'clock p.m. Next morning (Thursday), 

 five or six men proceeded to the cairn where Pepper 

 was imprisoned. The terrier answered when whistled 

 to. The rescuing party accordingly proceeded to 

 remove the stones and rocks of which the cairn was 

 made up. In the course of the day many tons were 

 removed, but still Pepper did not come forth, though 

 he continued ever and anon to respond when called to. 

 The party did not go home on that night till a late 

 hour. They returned early on Friday, and continued 

 at work all day without result. Their efforts were 

 repeated on Saturday, but though the terrier occasion- 

 ally on these days answered when called, the answers 

 became feebler and feebler. The would-be rescuers, 

 knowinof the terrier was still alive, returned home 

 greatly disappointed because all their efforts at rescue 

 had proved unavailing. They were so anxious to save 

 the life of poor Pepper that they offered to return 

 on Sunday. Having, however, told the laird that they 

 had removed every stone it was possible for them to 

 turn, he with great reluctance arrived at the conclusion 

 that everything had been clone that could be done, and 

 that the unfortunate Pepper would therefore have to 

 be left to his fate. The men engaged all belonged to 

 the Free Church, and it says a great deal for them 

 that they remembered and were, notwithstanding the 

 many Puritanic notions which still subsist in the 

 Highlands, willing to follow in the footsteps of Him 

 of whom it is recorded that ' He said unto them. What 



