60 CHAPTER IX. 



the best clown in a first class circus, but it promised to protect the top 

 of my head for the thirty-odd miles yet to go. About this time the 

 Fiat came on, purring away like a comfortable cat. The Chief's decision 

 was instantly made; we re-transferred and were soon well on our way 

 again. 



As we came to the low ground the hills flattened out; prosperous 

 farms were passed, and characteristic Scotch villages were encountered. 



The Chief has a real knack with a car. He gets as much out of one 

 as anybody possibly could, but the difficulty with the Fiat was too 

 deeply seated for quick or easy removal. The car had been run some 

 thousands of miles during a Use which covered five years. The feed 

 pipes were clogged and nothing except a thorough and slow process 

 of cleaning would make them right. 



About twenty miles from our last stop the engine commenced to 

 hesitate and sputter, necessitating attention and nursing. It would go 

 on in a perfectly undisturbed way until we felt quite sure that all 

 trouble had passed, then in a twinkling would come the rickety, rackety 

 exhaust which meant trouble. 



When we swung in at the dignified and age-tinted lodge gates of 

 Balnagown, after coming up a lane by the high dark wall which marked 

 the limit of the estate upon this side, a plump and rubicund old woman 

 in clean cap and spotless white apron ran at the sound of the horn 

 to unbar the portals and let us in. As we passed she bobbed a curtsey 

 which was of a piece with her face, her garments and the gate. If she 

 had not made this gesture I would have known something to be 

 vitally wrong. 



Up the graveled drive, between lordly trees we spun to swing in a 

 big circle up to the Castle entrance. A fine old building, my host's 

 home. Its most ancient part built over seven hundred years ago, with 

 sections pieced on as succeeding members of the family felt called 

 upon to change or improve. 



We were just in time for luncheon; and the welcome of the charm- 

 ing lady wife of the Chief, and other feminine members of the 

 family, together with the quiet, though real luxury of this genuinely 

 fine old countryseat, were very agreeable. We rested here at ease until 

 the next afternoon when we motored back to Benmore for further 

 active investigations on the subject of the Scotch stag. 



