While Jack ran on thus, Callum Dhu, who sat near me with his belt and jacket off, pulling the stroke oar, was listening to him with a quiet smile, for he liked his rattling, off-hand manner.
'Callum,' said I, 'you remember Miss Clavering?'
'Many a time, sir, I have led her pony up Ben Ora, and round the Craig-na-tuirc! Who that ever saw her could forget her?' he replied, as his eye sparkled and his cheek flushed, while he gave fresh energy to tugging at the bending sweep; 'She was ever so gay, so beautiful, so joyous and flattering!'
'And Miss Everingham, too,' I added, in a low voice; 'Mrs. Clavering, I should say.'
Callum gave me a glance full of deep and sorrowful meaning; but he only bit his proud nether lip, and bent more lustily to the oar. He was as full of ardour at the prospect of risking his life in defence of these two ladies as if he was the accepted lover of them both; for poor Callum's heart was chivalrous as it was kind and true; and though, like himself, more than one soldier in that huge lumbering boat had good reason to curse the intrusive name of Everingham, and that feudal law which enabled a landlord to evict the people, they were all ready to face fire and water, shot and steel, to rescue him and his friends from the perils that surrounded them. Fresh hands were laid on the oars; the sun attained its meridian height; the outlines of the Isle of Marmora began to rise higher to the southward; sturdily pulled the Highland oarsmen, and still their strange wild chorus was wafted to leeward on the Grecian sea—
'Horo, horo, horo el,
Horo, horo, horo elé;
Hu ho i o 'sna ho elé.'
CHAPTER LVII.
THE ISLE OF MARMORA.
I gazed alternately on the distant island that was now rising faint and blue from the shining sea, and on the huge lateen sail that tapered far away aloft upon its slender yard, which resembled a fishing-rod, while Belton still lounged in the stern-sheets, and lunched on sliced Bologna sausages, biscuits, and sherry.
'Yonder Isle of Marmora has some interest for me,' said he; 'I had an uncle who got his wife out of that identical place.'