THE GAEL'S PROVIDENCE. 77 



man never trod the hills, in sight and out of it, alike to 

 be depended upon." 



" Now, Davy, a word with you. What is that sticking 

 out in the right pocket of your jacket ? " 

 " That's joost the whiskey." 



" And what is that great lump in your left pocket ? " 

 " That's in my left ! Why, then, that's joost the ither 

 whiskey." 



" But you seem to have something pretty considerable in 

 the right pocket of your trowsers; what may that be, Davy?" 

 " That's the wee bit pewter whiskey flask, yer honour." 

 " Then that protuberance opposite on the left ? " 

 " Why sure isn't that the ither pewter flask ? " 

 " Well, Davy, thou art most judiciously balanced, and 

 thy providence is much to be commended ; just take out 

 one of the large bottles, and let us see what it is like. Now 

 for the pewter cups, and fill round to every one, that they 

 may drink good success to our manoeuvres. You are a 

 perfect walking cellar, Davy ; how many bins of whiskey 

 you have about you I cannot precisely say ; but we will 

 have compassion on you, for at any rate you are heavily 

 laden. Just give one of the flasks to Peter Maclaren ; 

 nay, give it man, and leave a black bottle with Sandy ; 

 and now to your posts. Sandy, set you off for Ben-y-chait." 

 " Upon my word, Mr. General Tortoise, you are a very 

 mysterious person ; I have listened very attentively to all 

 you have said, and silent I have been, as not presuming to 

 interrupt the jargon of so consummate a general. As for 

 the deer, I do not see them, though I have been looking 

 through the glass this long while ; but it seems you are 

 going to put some manoeuvre in practice, and I will thank 

 you to tell me what your exquisite plan may be. You 

 don't mean to say that you can get near deer in such an 

 open country as this 1 " 



" That is as it may be: we shall have to wait here about 

 forty minutes, when I will disclose and illustrate ; but I 

 must first start Peter Maclareu. Now take your whiskey, 

 and away with you, Peter." 



Away went the clean-limbed hill-man down the moun- 

 tain, skipping over the hillocks, diving, vanishing, and 



