46 TOUR IN SUTHERLAND. CH. IV. 



as from his quiet discretion he is never in the way. 

 In roe-shooting also he is allowed to remain at my 

 feet while I am waiting in a pass. At the same 

 time, if permitted to hmit, no kind of animal, run- 

 ning or flying, quadruped or biped, comes amiss to 

 him, and he is equally at home in any ground, rock, 

 or loch. There is a kind of quiet, discretionary 

 courage that some of these rough terriers have 

 which is very amusing — nothing seems to put them 

 out, and Fred is as much at home in a crowded 

 railway station or London street as he is in a furze- 

 cover. He rather annoys me sometimes when tra- 

 velling, for as soon as he has seen me safely housed 

 in an hotel, he is very apt to wander off in search 

 of adventures and acquaintance of his own through 

 the town, wherever it is ; and although it may be a 

 new place to him, he invariably finds his way back 

 to my room for the time being, regardless of all 

 obstacles in the form of waiters, chambermaids, &c. 

 I used to be afraid of losing him, but after some 

 experience of his ways, I find that I may safely leave 

 him to his own devices ; for having once or twice 

 despatched ostlers and boys in all directions to 

 search for him, I perceived that he always came 

 back alone, looking rather ashamed of himself, and 

 not venturing to make himself very prominent in 

 the room till he had examined the expression of my 



