letter I got to-day from Uig brought me--that is, brought _us_--glorious

news."

"And you've kept it all this time to yourself?" said Rory. "Och! you're a rogue."

"I confess," said Ralph, "it was wrong of me, but I thought we could talk the matter ever so much more comfortably over after dinner, especially in a place like this.

"I've got the best father in the world," said Ralph, with an emphasis, and almost an emotion, which he did not usually exhibit.

"No one doubts it," said Allan, somewhat sadly; "I wish I had a father."

"And I," said Rory.

"Well, would you believe it, boys?" continued Ralph, "he now in this letter offers me what we all so much desire a real yacht, a big, glorious yacht, that may sail to any clime and brave the stormiest seas. He said that though I had never even hinted my wishes, he gathered from my letters that my heart was bent upon sailing a yacht, and that his son should own one worthy of the family name he bore. Oh! boys; aren't you happy? But what ails you?"

He looked from the one to the other as he spoke.

"What ails you? What ails you both, boys? Speak."

"Well!" said Rory, "then the truth is this, that the same thought is running through both our two minds at once. And there is only one way out of the trouble. We won't go with you, there! We won't go in your yacht, in _your_ yacht. Mind you, Ralph, dear boy, I say we won't go in _your_ yacht."

"That's it," said Allan, repeating Rory's words; "we won't go in _your_ yacht."

"Ha! ha! ha!" laughed Ralph, right heartily. Then he jumped to his feet, and smilingly doffing his cap, "I respect your Celtic pride, gentlemen," he said. "It shall not be _my_ yacht. It shall be _our_ yacht, and _we'll go shares in expenses_."

"Spoken like men, every one of you," roared McBain, no longer able to restrain himself. "I'm proud of my boys. Indeed, indeed, old McBain is proud of his pupils."

And he shook hands with them all round. This is Highland fashion, you know, reader.

They spent fully four hours longer on that cliff-top; they had so much to talk of now, for new prospects were opening out before them, and they determined to try at least to turn them to good account.

The sun was setting ere they reached their little vessel once again, and prepared to turn in for the night.