Three Boys Part 33

"Going for a sail, Maister Ken?" cried a voice; and Long Shon came waddling up, looking very red-faced and fierce.

"Yes, Shon, and we don't want you in the boat."

Long Shon grunted, and followed close behind.

"She could go instead of Scood."

"Yes, I know she could, but she isn't going," replied Kenneth, mimicking the man's speech. "What would Scood say if I left him behind?"

"She could show you an eagle's nest up the firth."

"So can Scood. He knows where it is!"

Long Shon pulled a battered bra.s.s box out of his pouch, and took a big pinch of snuff as he waddled behind.

"She knows where there's a raven's nest."

"That's what Scood told me this morning, Long Shon."

"But she tidn't know where there's a nest o' young blue hawks."

"Yes, I do, father," shouted Scood from the boat, in an ill-used tone, for they were now down on the rocks, and Scoodrach was paddling the boat in close.

"He wants me to turn you out, and take him instead, Scood. Shall I?"

"No!" said Scood undutifully.

"Petter tak' me, Maister Ken, and she can teach the young chentleman how to hantle his gun."

"Look here, Shon, the young chentleman knows how to hantle his gun. I don't want you, and I don't want your dogs. You, Sneeshing, come back."

The ugly little Scotch terrier had waited till Scoodrach came near, and then crept down among the rocks to a crevice where he could get quietly into the water without a splash, and was paddling to the side of the boat, looking like an otter swimming.

Sneeshing whined and made a snap at the water.

"Do you hear, sir? Come back!" cried Kenneth; but just then Scood leaned over the side, gripped the little dog by the loose skin at the back of his neck, and lifted him into the boat.

Sneeshing's first act was to run forward and give himself a tremendous shake to get rid of the water, and then he performed a sort of triumphant dance, and ended by placing his forepaws over the side, and barking at his fellows on the rock.

Bruce seemed to frown at him, showed his teeth, and then uttered a deep baying bark; but Dirk answered the challenge of his little companion by barking furiously, then running up and down upon the rocks for a few moments, watching the boat, as if calculating whether he could leap in; and ending by plunging into the sea with a tremendous splash.

"Come back, sir! Do you hear? come back!" shouted Kenneth, when Dirk raised his head from the water, and uttered a remonstrant bark, which seemed to say,--

"It isn't fair. You're letting him go."

"Hit him with an oar, Scood," cried Kenneth. "Here, you Dirk, come back, sir, or I'll pepper you!"

As he spoke, Kenneth raised the gun he carried and took aim at the dog, who threw up his head and uttered a piteous howl, but kept on swimming up and down beside the boat.

"Will you come out, sir?"

Dirk howled again.

Click! click! sounded the hammers, as Kenneth drew the triggers; and Dirk now burst forth into a loud barking.

"She says she knew it wasn't loated, Maister Ken," cried Long Shon, laughing; "she's a ferry cunning tog, is Dirk."

"Hi, Dirk! look here," cried Kenneth; and he threw open the breech of his gun and slipped in a couple of cartridges. "Now then, young fellow," he continued, "the gun's loaded now; so come back and stop ash.o.r.e. You're not going."

"How-ow!"

Dirk's cry was very pitiful, and, whether he understood the fact of the gun being loaded or not, he turned and swam slowly ash.o.r.e, climbed on the rock and stood dripping and disconsolate, without trying to scatter the water from his coat.

"You'd better learn to mind, sir, or--"

Kenneth gave the dog's ribs a bang with the gun barrel, and Dirk whined and crouched down, watching his master wistfully as he stepped off the rock into the boat, and then held out his hand to Max to follow.

"Mind what you're doing, Scood," cried Long Shon. "Ta wint's going to change."

Scood nodded, and began to hoist the sail; the wind caught it directly, and the boat moved swiftly through the water.

"You're not going near the Mare's Tail to-day, are you?" said Max anxiously, as Kenneth laid his gun across his knees.

"No, I wasn't going; but if you want to--Here, Scood, let's go and show him the Grey Mare's Tail again."

"No! No! No!" cried Max excitedly; "and pray don't go into any dangerous places."

He bit his lip with annoyance as soon as he had said the words, for he felt that it had made him seem cowardly in the eyes of his companions.

Scood grinned, and Kenneth said laughingly,--

"Oh, I thought you wanted to go there. We won't go into any danger.

Would you like a lifebelt?"

"No!" said Max indignantly; and then to himself, "I wish there was one here."

"Tak' care, Maister Ken. Ta wint's going to change."

"All right."

"You, Scood, mind you ton't mak' fast ta sheet."

Max looked round for the sheet, but he did not see it; and concluded that it was the sail that was meant.

"I do wish people wouldn't treat us as if we were babies," said Kenneth angrily. "Just as if I didn't know how to sail a boat."

He jumped up suddenly, and shouted back,--

"Hi, Shon!"