of feet below. Yethis young master had, in his usual headstrong fashion, started
by himself, and was already far out of sight. .

It took but a few moments for Davidto decide. Wrapping his tartan plaid —
around him, and seizing his shepherd’s crook, he was soon hastening over the
uneven ground, and hurrying up the hill-side as fast as he could in the direction
Will Clunie had taken.

Presently he came up with the other, and saying humbly, “Sir, if ye maun
gang, I'll gang with ye,” walked along beside him.

“Ah, that’s your true self, Dave!” the other joyfully exclaimed. “Ihad an
idea you were going to show the white feather.”

David made no remark, only a hot flush came into his honest, sunburnt
little face. ;

So up they climbed, higher and higher, and nearer the white cloud that
rested on the mountain-top, so silent and so still.

At last they reached the place called the Falcons’ Crag, and went more
cautiously, for the spot was very dangerous, overhanging as it dida deep loch,
or lake, below. Above them, creeping lower each moment, hung the cloud of
white mist.

“We must hurry and find the nest,” Willie said, pointing to the sky above.

“Hist, sir! see yonder!” exclaimed David, excitedly pointing. ‘‘Lie down,
sir, lie down; ye maun let them get wind of ye.”

The boys hastily crouched behind a boulder, and eagerly looked below,
where a pair of fine eagles hovered over a ledge of rock, upon which evidently
their nest was built. The rocks around were strewn with the bones of sheep
and lambs, and David whispered to Will that they must lie quiet till the
old birds flew away in search of food, as it would be dangerous to go nearer
the nest, in case they attacked them.

Will forgot everything in his anxiety to possess an eaglet and carry it
back with him to the castle. They watched with much excitement the two
noble birds as they swept round and round in wide circles. Now and again
they would rest on their great brown wings without further movement, and then
swoop down without apparent effort, calling to one another, and circling as be-
fore.

At last they seemed to decide that it was time to go in search of dinner for
themselves and their young ones, and, rising high in the air above the mountain-
tops, were lost to sight in the mist.

The opportunity was not to be lost. Telling his young master ‘“‘to bide
stilla while,” and keep a sharp look-out in case the old birds returned, when
he was to shout, David unwound the plaid from his body and prepared to de-