Part 51 (1/2)
”She'll pit theets back,” he said ”Hey! but it does her hairt good to rin aain”
Their party ell on ahead, and they trudged after the steeply up on either side, in places up and away to where the dull green ave way to bare patches of stones, and still up and up to where the loose stones were succeeded by rock sheathed and netted with snow Just above this was the eternal, glittering ice, dazzling in the soft glow of the sun, whose light looked cold and calave the wondrous landscape a saddened aspect; for, in spite of its beauty and the variety of tint of theh why he could not explain
It was singular, but every step ihtful cos; and as they tras of the valley, the ier that theirs were the first, possibly ht prove to be the last, human feet that had ever traversed this stony desert
”She dinna see nae heather,” said Watty suddenly, ”an' she dinna see nae bluebell; but it's verra bonnie oot here, Meester Steve Will ta captain be gaen far awa?”
”Oh yes, a long way yet, Watty We've got to shoot some deer to take back”
”Eh? Shoot the deer an' tak' back! But she'll be hungry sune, and when she's shot a teer she'll ude cook now, and wad like to stay ashore now and build a hoose and shoot and hunt Wait a wee, and she'll”We haven't shot our deer yet; and if we had, there's no wood here”
”Thenk o' tat,” said Watty, cocking his bonnet on one side to give his head a scratch ”Nae wud! She's nane sae fine a countrie as bonnie Scotland, then Nae wud!” he continued, looking round ”But she'll find a forest over yonder?”
”No, there are no trees here”
”Then she'll side o' ta bilberries”
”Yes, you may find turf, and perhaps coal; but we shall see”
They had to hurry a little to overtake the party, and this was soonabout aup the stony slope of theto see some particular plant or perhaps bird; but he was soon undeceived by the doctor handing his rifle to Andrew and cli and throw them down
”What has he found, Captain Marshaold?”
”What is far more valuable to us, my lad--coal Yes,” he added, as he exaood, soft, bitu to be a land of plenty for us A coal vein cropping out of the cliff-side, ready for us to coes to carry off as much as we like”
”She's pit petter coal than tat into the galley fire,” said Watty, who had followed the example of the others and picked up a piece to examine
”Leuks brown, Meester Stevey Does she thenk it wud burn?”
”We'll try as soon as we get a deer to roast, Watty”
”Hey, leuk at tat!” cried the lad, as a shadoas cast upon the rock wall, and a huge owl floated by on its soft pinions, staring hard at the hue round eyes, and then proceeded to perch upon a ledge high above their heads, and strip and devour a speckled bird which it had in its claws
”Hey, look at tat!” cried Watty, whose exciteot ta white speckled grouse fra off the rouse like tat on Ben Cruachan”
”Ptaran, Handsob,” said the captain, as the white and browny-grey plu down fro its h,” said the doctor ”Co; we must knock over a few of these if we don't find any deer Shall I shoot the owl?”
”No, let it rest; we can't eat it, and we are too busy to care for preserving speci seen these two birds to-day I want to make out hoide the coal seaive soun, and cliet up there”
”She got oop and teukit an eagle's nest ance by Ballachulish,” replied the boy; and readily enough he cli its preparation of its dinner and glaring down at hi to me,” quoted the doctor, as he saw Watty climb and the oatch hireat white-and-grey-pluan, made a rapid silent stoop unseen by the lad, struck at his head with claws and wings, and sailed away again silently, leaving the bonnet with its flowers falling , scra down, till, scratched, bruised, and breathless, he fell quite at his companions' feet
”Wha' did tat?” he shouted furiously, as he sprang up with his eyes flashi+ng; and he gazed froed now to one ofthat the boy was not much hurt