'Yes,' answered Reggie, wondering what this was going to lead to.

'Well,' resumed Allan, 'you'll need to have some fights, you know, almost as soon as you get there.'

'I suppose so,' said Reggie.

'I mean,' said Allan, 'even supposing that no one challenges you, you'll have to fight some of the fellows at the very commencement, don't you see, just to show that you're not the sort to be put upon.'

Reggie listened attentively, but said nothing.

'You haven't had much opportunity of practising yet, of course, and it won't do, if you want to make a position for yourself in the school, just to begin upon some of the new fellows, kids of your own size or a little bigger; any one can do that. What you want is to challenge some of the older fellows at the very beginning, and then, no one will try humbugging you, as they do with the new fellows.'

Reggie looked doubtful. The idea of making a position for himself was tempting, but if it was only to be carried into effect by fighting bigger boys he felt that the result might be failure.

'What you want is practice,' resumed Allan. 'Now it's no use your trying to fight me--I'm much too big and strong for you; nor Hamish, for he's far too good-natured and would never hit out at you enough; so it's awfully lucky we've got Harry here just now--he's just the very fellow.'

Reggie looked up in perplexity.

'But how can I fight Harry?' he said; 'I've never quarrelled with him.'

'You young duffer,' said Allan, 'you don't need to fight about anything in particular. It's only for practice. Then we've got to make the yacht late, you know, and this is no end of a good opportunity, as we can't be expected to stay where the grown-ups are likely to find us when we've got a fight on hand. Here's a nice quiet place, just behind these rocks, and there's Harry wading in that pool; you can just fight him at once, or I'll punch both your heads for you. Hullo, Harry!

Come along! Reggie wants to fight you. Now, go it, you two, and I'll be umpire;' and before the younger boys knew what they were about they were sparring at each other like a couple of angry c.o.c.ks.

'Straight, Reggie, you young duffer,' said Allan, settling himself to give professional advice. 'Give it to him from the shoulder.'

'I say, what's the row?' asked Hamish, who came strolling down to the scene; 'so these two have come to loggerheads, have they?'

'Not they,' replied Allan carelessly; 'it's only practice.'

Marjorie's curly head rose above a rock behind which she had been lying _perdu_; and when she saw what was going on she jumped up and scrambled to the other side.

'Whatever is the matter?' she cried. 'Can't you make them stop, Allan?'

'Practice-fight,' replied Allan; 'don't call out, Marjorie; you'll distract their attention.'

Reggie, unused to fighting, soon began to have the worst of it, but he struggled manfully until a well-planted blow from Harry knocked the breath out of him.

'That's enough for a beginning,' said Allan. 'You've done not so badly, Reggie, for the first time, and you'll get into it all right by practice.'

'But what did he go at me for?' cried Harry, with a blank expression of countenance. 'I didn't do anything to him.'

'n.o.body said you did, you duffer,' replied Allan; 'Reggie only wants to be able to fight the fellows at school; and you and he can have a go at each other every day if you like.'

'Dear me,' said Mr. Matthews the minister, coming towards the group with a concerned face; 'I am sorry to see that some of you have been quarrelling. Pray, what has been the subject of dispute?'

'It's nothing,' said Allan, 'only practice. There's no quarrel at all.'

'What's this? what's this?' broke in the somewhat rasping voice of the Sheriff, who had followed Mr. Matthews, un.o.bserved by the young people; 'it seems that half-a-dozen boys cannot be together without coming to blows.'

'They're not fighting seriously,' cried Marjorie; 'it's only fun.'

Mr. Matthews was looking both grieved and puzzled.

'Dear me,' he said, shaking his head, 'this is most distressing. To fight when you have not any ground for quarrelling. Why did you not endeavour to dissuade them, Miss Marjorie?'

'It's all right,' said Marjorie. 'What would be the good of interfering?'

The Sheriff said nothing, but he was looking so grimly amused that Marjorie added hastily, 'Why, it doesn't matter! Why shouldn't they fight if it amuses them? When once you learn to understand boys you know that it's no use being surprised at anything they do!'

'Allan! Reggie!' Mr. Stewart's voice was calling somewhat impatiently. 'Go and look for the young ladies and gentlemen, Duncan; quick, don't lose time, we're late already.'

'Tear me,' observed Duncan, looking at Harry's and Reggie's somewhat battered faces as they pa.s.sed; 'so there ha.s.s peen a fight between you two young gentlemen, and Mr. Allan ha.s.s been helping you. I wa.s.s thinking from Mr. Allan's looks these last days tat there would pe some mischief pefore ferry long! It iss ahl right, Miss Marjorie, it iss ahl right,' he said soothingly, in response to her glance; 'we hev made the _Kelpie_ an hour and a quarter late, whateffer. That iss ferry good, although Rob says he will pe thinking it iss a pity that the sea will not pe going to pe at ahl rough.'

There was only enough breeze to fill the sails as the _Kelpie_ glided gently towards the island of Erricha. The gulls sat balancing themselves on the smooth swell of the waves; and as the vessel pa.s.sed a low rocky islet a number of seals flopped into the water and swam in her wake.

'It's awfully nice,' observed Gerald, his blue eyes shining with enjoyment.

'Yes,' replied Tricksy; 'we've had an awfully jolly day, but I've been thinking, that all this time we've been doing nothing for Neil. We ought to, you know, as we've made a compact.'

Allan produced a bit of stick and began whittling it.

'It would be nice if we could begin now,' observed Gerald.

'It's all very well,' said Harry disgustedly, 'but there seems to be nothing to do.'

'I heard the Sheriff saying to Mother that the gipsies had come back again,' said Tricksy.

Reggie's dark eyes looked at Allan, who stopped his whittling.

'Look!' said Marjorie abruptly, 'we're just rounding the headland.'

The Grahams wondered at the sudden silence which fell upon the group.

'We'll tack sh.o.r.e wards, Duncan,' announced Mr. Stewart. We would like to spend an hour or two at the caves.'

'Aye, aye, sir,' replied Duncan stiffly.

Allan and Reggie began to look intent.

'There's Rob coming forward,' said Marjorie softly.

The Highlander touched his cap respectfully.

'I do not think we can pe landing at ta Corrachin Caves to-night, sir,'

he said civilly but firmly; 'ta wind iss north-west and ta current iss running ferry strong, sir. We wa.s.s thinking it would pe too dangerous.'

'Tut, tut,' said Mr. Stewart; 'we're not going to be so timid as all that, Rob. Just think of some of the days when we have landed, man.'

'But Duncan and I was thinking that it wa.s.s a ferry tangerous sea to-day, sir, ferry tangerous indeed, and we will pe afraid for ta ladies, sir, and for ta young ladies and gentlemen.'