“I can eat my dinner here, you know,” said Kenneth, “and read my books, and study at night.”
“At night!” exclaimed honest Dugald. “Wad ye no’ be feared, man?” he added solemnly. “Are there no bogles about? Losh! there might be even ghosts. Or, man! just fancy a wee fairy body coming in through the door when you were a’ by yoursel’!”
“Oh!” cried the boy, “that is too good ever to be true. I should rejoice to see a fairy.”
“Well, man, rather you than me. But tak’ your flute and play a tune, to banish eerie thoughts.”
Kenneth put his instrument together and commenced.
Shot sat down on the brackens and commenced too.
Dugald turned Shot out of the cave, but Kooran had better manners and was allowed to stay. It was the “Flowers o’ the Forest” that Kenneth played, and to this sweetly mournful air Dugald listened entranced.
“Silly Dugald!” some would say, for his very eyes were moist.
“Ah! Kennie, man,” he said at last, “I hope you may never live to play that dear auld lilt in a foreign land with the tears rinnin’ o’er your face.”
“What mean ye, Dugald?” Kenneth said.