study for a fewmonths last summer, and I spilt some ink there."
"Now, indeed, indeed," cried romantic Rory, "that is a shame to put usoff like that. Never mind, Ralph; _we_ know it is a blood-stain, and ifAllan won't tell us the story, then, we'll invent one. Sure, now," hecontinued, "I'd like to sleep here."
"You'd catch your death of cold from the damp," said Allan.
Rory wheeled him right round to the light, and gazed at him funnily fromtop to toe, and from toe to top.
"You're a greater curiosity than the fine old castle itself," said Rory;"and I don't believe there is an ounce of romance in the whole big bodyof you. Now, if the place was mine, there isn't a room--why, what isthat?"
"That's the gong," said Allan, "and it says plainly enough, `Getr-r-r-r-ready for dinner.'"
"Well, but," persisted Rory, "just before we go down below show us thecorridor where the ghost walks at midnight, and the door through whichit disappears."
"A ghost!" said Allan; "indeed, I never knew there was one."
"Ah! but," Rory continued, "you never knew there _wasn't_. Well, then,say _probably_ there is a ghost, because you know, old fellow, in anancient family like yours there must be a ghost. There must be some oldfogey or another who didn't think he was very well done by in thisworld, and feels bound to come back and walk about at midnight, and allthat sort of thing. Pray, Allan, don't break the spell. You're welcometo the stains if you please, but 'deed and indeed, I mean to stick tothe ghost."
The first few days of their stay in Glentroom were spent in what Allancalled "doing nothing," for unless he left the castle for the hill, theriver, or the lake, he did not consider he was doing anything. Withinthe castle walls, however, Rory for one was not idle. There was, in hisopinion, a deal to be seen and a deal to be done: he had to makeacquaintance with every living thing about the place--ponies and dogs,cattle and pigs, ducks, geese, fowl, and pigeons.
Old Janet averred that she had never seen such a boy in all her borndays--that he turned the castle upside down, and kept all the "beasties"in an uproar; but at the same time she added that he was the prettiestboy ever she'd seen, and "Heaven bless his bonnie face," which put herin mind of her dear dead boy Donald, and she couldn't be angry with him,for even when he was doing mischief he made her laugh.
The parish in which Glentroom lies is a very wide one indeed, andcontained at the time our tale opens many families of distinction.Nearly all of these were on visiting terms with the McGregors, and manya beautifully-fitted sledge used to drive over the drawbridge ofArrandoon Castle during the winter months--wheels, of course, were outof the question when the snow lay thick on the ground--so that life inAllan's family, although it did not partake of the gaiety of the Londonseason, was by no means a dull one, and both Ralph and Rory thought theevenings spent in the drawing-room were very enjoyable indeed. Ralphwas a good conversationalist and a good listener: he delighted inhearing music, while Rory delighted to play, and, for his years, he wasa violinist of no mean order. He had never been known to go anywhere--not even on the shortest of holiday tours--without the long black casethat contained his pet instrument.
Now, as none of "the resident gentry," as they were called, who visitedat the castle have anything at all to do with our story, I shall notfatigue my readers by introducing them.
And why, it may be asked, should I trouble myself about describing lifeat the castle at all? And where is the _Snowbird_?--for doubtless youhave guessed already that it is a ship of some kind. The _Snowbird_ erevery long will sail majestically up that Highland lake before you, andin her, along with our heroes, you and I, reader, will embark, andtogether we will journey afar over the ocean wave, to regions hithertobut little known to man. Our adventures there will be many, wild, andvaried, and some of them, too, so far from pleasant, that while exiledin the frozen seas of the far North, our thoughts will oftentimes turnfondly homewards, and we will think with a joy borrowed from the past ofthe quiet and peaceful days we spent in bonnie Arrandoon.
Ralph and Rory had kept the promise they had made to each other on themorning succeeding their arrival at Arrandoon; they left McBain to dreamover his "idea" in peace. They did not behave like squaws, and I thinkit was the third or fourth evening before Allan's foster-father saidanother word about it. They were then all around the fire, as they hadbeen before; the ladies had retired, and the dogs were making themselvesas snug and comfortable as dogs know how to whenever they get a chance.
"Well," said McBain, after there had been a lull in the conversation forsome little time, "we've been all so happy and jolly here for the lastfew days, that we haven't had time to think much or to look aheadeither; but now, if you don't mind, young gentlemen, I will tell youwhat I should propose in the way of spending a few of the incomingspring and summer months, in what I should call a very pleasantfashion."
"Yes," cried Rory, "do tell us, we are burning to hear about it, and ifit be anything new it is sure to be nice."
"Very well," said McBain. "Allan there tells me he means to stick toyou both for a time--to keep you prisoners in Glentroom. He will trotyou about for all that; you'll be on parole, and roam about wherever youlike; and you can fish and shoot and sketch just as much as ever youhave a mind to. Meanwhile, buy a boat; I know where there is one tosell that will suit us in every way--a grand, big, strong, open boat.She belongs to Duncan Forbes, of Fort Augustus, and can be bought for anold song. We can have her round into the loch here. I'm a bit of asailor, as Allan knows, and I'll show you how to deck her over, set uprigging and mast, and make her complete, and I'll make bold to say thatbefore we have done with her she will be as neat and pretty a littlecraft as ever hauled the wind."
"I say, boys," said Rory, "I think the idea is a glorious one."
"I must say, I like it immensely," said Ralph.
"And so do I," said Allan, "if--if we can all afford it."
"Oh! but stop a little," said McBain, "you haven't heard all my proposalyet; the best of it is to come. Your cruising ground will be all up anddown among the Western Islands, where the wildest and finest scenery inEurope exists. You'll get any amount of fishing and shooting too, forwherever you three smart-looking young yachtsmen land on the coast,people will vie with each other in offering you Highland hospitality.And all the while you can make your pleasure pay you."
"How--how--tell us how?"
"Why," continued McBain, "around the rocky and rugged islands where youwill be cruising are the finest lobsters in the world. You have only tosink a few cages every night when at anchor; you will draw them up fullin the morning, and place them in a well in your hold. As soon as youhave enough to make a paying voyage, round you will run to Greenock,where is always a ready market and good prices."
Here Ralph jumped up and rubbed his hands; and Rory, forgetting hisbruised shoulder and still bandaged head, hopped off the sofa to cry"Hurrah!" and this made Kooran bark, and of course Bran chimed in forcompany's sake, and McBain wagged his beard and laughed with delight atthe pleasure his suggestion seemed to afford the three young men; and,indeed, for the time being he felt quite as youthful as either of them.
"And I'll be the crew of the craft," said McBain. "Allan ought to becaptain, and you others naval cadets."
"Yes," said Rory, "that will suit us excellently, and we can takelessons from you and Allan in seamanship, and by-and-bye be just asclever sailors as either of you."
"Ay, that you can," said McBain.
Allan laid his hand on Ralph's shoulder, for the latter was gazingquietly and dreamily firewards.
"What are you thinking about?" said Allan.
Ralph smiled as he made reply.
"I was thinking," he said, "that our adventures as amateur yachtsmenwill not begin and end with cruising among the Western Isles ofScotland, pleasant and romantic enough though that may be. Listen tome, boys. It has been the one dream of my life to be able to be masterof a beautiful yacht, and to sail away to far countries, and to see theworld in earnest. Now I know I s
hall have an opportunity of doing so.My good, kind old father will baulk me in nothing that is reasonable;and if, after a few months' cruising in this boat, I can convince himthat I have mastered the rudiments of seamanship, he will, I believe,let me have a real yacht, capable of voyaging to any part of the world!"
"Ah! that would indeed be glorious, boys," cried Rory, with enthusiasm.
"If we could only arrange it," said Allan, "so as to all go together."
"Of course," said Ralph; "there would not
The Cruise of the Snowbird: A Story of Arctic Adventure Page 6
