“She ton’t pelief they’d go?”
“No. The potatoes were frozen in the cook-house, and I’ll be bound to say they’re spoiled.”
Andrew McByle’s face was a study as he looked from the speaker forward, and then turned hastily to Hamish.
“She’ll mind ta wheel her nainsel,” he said huskily, “while she goes to see aboot her pipes.”
He turned to Steve again, and saw the twinkle in the lad’s eye.
“She’s lairfin’!” he cried. “The pipes are quite safe a’ wrapped oop in her auld plaidie”; and he shook his head and laughed heartily.
“Look!” cried Hamish excitedly, pointing to their right.
“What is it?”
“A seal. Ay, there’s twa bonnie laddies. Look at them watching us, and looking like twa bodies after having a swim.”
Steve did not see the animals at once, for a piece of ice intervened. The next moment, though, they came into sight, where they lay upon the snow, and raised their round heads to gaze at the ship.