CHAPTER V
A RUIN AND A REUNION
The next morning at breakfast Madeline announced that she had found a ruined castle for Babbie.
“The one with the ivy on it is Dunollie,” she explained. “It belonged to the giant Fingal once upon a time—he’s the giant that had the cave out on one of those lovely purple islands, you know. He must have either lived in this castle, or visited here often, because there is a stone in the yard that he used to tie his dog to.”
“And who used to live in my castle?” inquired Babbie, making a wry face as she tasted the queer English coffee. “I don’t wonder the English drink tea for breakfast rather than this horrible stuff. I’m going to have milk. Whose turn is it to ring the bell? Now, Madeline,” when Betty had proudly pulled the bell-cord, and taken her seat again, “tell us all about my castle.”
“I don’t know anything about it,” said Madeline, “except that it is named Dunstaffnage, and it’s somewhere on the shore, a few miles north of Oban. I presume our landlady can tell us just how to get to it.”
“You’re sure it’s not on any tram-line?” inquired Babbie anxiously. “I don’t want the kind of ruin that’s on a tram-line, you know.”
“No, it’s not that kind,” Madeline assured her. “You have to drive or walk to get there.”
“We’ll walk, of course,” said Babe, and everybody agreed, though their landlady assured them it was a “right smart distance awa’.”
“But ye’ll be all the hungrier for your dinner,” she added comfortably. “What will ye have for yer dinner?”
“Why, anything you like to give us,” said Betty, to whom she had addressed her remark.