"But it iss not to be compared," said Mackenzie eagerly. "Borva, that is nothing at all; but the Lewis, it is a ferry different thing to live in the Lewis; and many English gentlemen hef told me they would like to live always in the Lewis."
"I think I should too," said Lavender lightly and carelessly, little thinking what importance the old man immediately and gladly put upon the admission.
From that moment, Lavender, although unconscious of what had happened, had nothing to fear in the way of opposition from Sheila's father. If he had there and then boldly asked Mackenzie for his daughter, the old man would have given his consent freely, and bade Lavender go to Sheila herself.
And so they set sail, one pleasant forenoon, from Borvabost, and the light wind that ruffled the blue of Loch Roag gently filled the mainsail of the Maigh-dean-mhara as she lightly ran down the tortuous channel.
"I don't like to go away from Borva," said Lavender in a low voice to Sheila, "but I might have been leaving the island with greater regret, for, you know, I expect to be back soon."
"We shall always be glad to see you," said the girl; and although he would rather have had her say "I" than "we," there was something in the tone of her voice that contented him.
At Garra-na-hina Mackenzie pointed out with a great interest to Lavender a tall man who was going down through some meadows to the Amhuinn Dhubh, "the Black River." He had a long rod over his shoulder, and behind him, at some distance, followed a shorter man, who carried a gaff and landing-net. Mackenzie anxiously explained to Lavender that the tall figure was that of an Englishman. Lavender accepted the statement. But would he not go down to the river and make his acquaintance? Lavender could not understand why he should be expected to take so great an interest in an ordinary English sportsman.
"Ferry well," said Mackenzie, a trifle disappointed, "but you would find several of the English in the Lewis if you wass living here."
These last two days in Stornoway were very pleasant. On their previous visit to the town Mackenzie had given up much of his time to business affairs, and was a good deal away from his guests, but now he devoted himself to making them particularly comfortable in the place and amusing them in every possible way. He introduced Lavender, in especial, to all his friends there, and was most anxious to impress on the young man that life in Stornoway was, on the whole, rather a brilliant affair. Then was there a finer point from which you could start at will for Inverness, Oban and such great centres of civilization? Very soon there would even be a telegraphic cable laid to the mainland. Was Mr. Lavender aware that frequently you could see the Sutherlandshire hills from this very town of Stornoway?
There Sheila laughed, and Lavender, who kept watching her face always to read all her fancies and sentiments and wishes in the shifting lights of it, immediately demanded an explanation.