“Down, Sneeshing!” cried Kenneth, wiping his eyes. “Oh, I say, Max, you made me laugh so—I nearly went overboard.”
Max gave him a pitiful look, and, from crawling on hands and knees, subsided to progression upon his breast as he came close to the edge of the rock and looked shudderingly down.
“See the nest?” said Kenneth, as he exchanged glances with Scoodrach.
“No, no. I can see a great shelf of stone a long, long way down,” replied Max, shuddering, and feeling giddy as he gazed at the shore, which seemed to be a fearful distance below.
“Well, that’s where the nest is, only right close in under the rock. Lean out farther—ever so far. Shall I sit on your legs?”
“No, no! don’t touch me, please! I—I’ll look out a little farther,” cried Max, in alarm.
“D’ye think if ye teuk her legs, and she teuk her heat, we could pitch her richt oot into the sea, Maister Ken?” said Scoodrach, in a low, hoarse voice.
Max shot back from the edge, and sat up at a couple of yards’ distance, looking inquiringly from one to the other, as if fearing some assault.
“You’ll soon get used to the cliffs,” said Kenneth. “I say, look, Scoody!”
He pointed out across the wide sea-loch, and Max could see that two sharp-winged birds were skimming along in the distance, and returning, as if in a great state of excitement about their nest.