“I wonder you don’t let part of that shooting,” said young Ogilvie, who knew well of the straitened circumstances of the Macleods of Dare.

“The mother won’t have it done,” said Macleod, quite simply, “for she thinks it keeps me at home.  But a young man cannot always stay at home.  It is very good for you, Ogilvie, that you have brothers.”

“Yes, if I had been the eldest of them,” said Mr. Ogilvie.  “It is a capital thing to have younger brothers; it isn’t half so pleasant when you are the younger brother.”

“And will you come up, then, and bury yourself alive at Dare?”

“It is awfully good of you to ask me, Macleod; and if I can manage it, I will; but I am afraid there isn’t much chance this year.  In the meantime, let me give you a hint.  In London we talk of going down to the Highlands.”

“Oh, do you?  I did not think you were so stupid,” Macleod remarked.

“Why, of course we do.  You speak of going up to the capital of a country, and of going down to the provinces.”

“Perhaps you are right—­no doubt you are right; but it sounds stupid,” the unconvinced Highlander observed again.  “It sounds stupid to say going up to the south, and going down to the north.  And how can you go down to the Highlands?  You might go down to the Lowlands.  But no doubt you are right; and I will be more particular.  And will you have another cigarette?  And then we will go out for a walk, and Oscar will get drier in the street than indoors.”

“Don’t imagine I am going out to have that dog plunging about among my feet,” said Ogilvie.  “But I have something else for you to do.  You know Colonel Ross of Duntorme.”

“I have heard of him.”

“His wife is an awfully nice woman, and would like to meet you, I fancy they think of buying some property—­I am not sure it isn’t an island—­in your part of the country; and she has never been to the Highlands at all.  I was to take you down with me to lunch with her at two, if you care to go.  There is her card.”

Macleod looked at the card.

“How far is Prince’s Gate from here?” he asked.

“A mile and a half, I should say.”

“And it is now twenty minutes to two,” said he, rising.  “It will be a nice smart walk.”

“Thank you,” said Mr. Ogilvie; “if it is all the same to you, we will perform the journey in a hansom.  I am not in training just at present for your tramps to Ben-an-Sloich.”

“Ah!  Your boots are rather tight,” said Macleod, with grave sympathy.

They got into a hansom, and went spinning along through the crowd of carriages on this brilliant morning.  The busy streets, the handsome women, the fine buildings, the bright and beautiful foliage of the parks—­all these were a perpetual wonder and delight to the new-comer, who was as eager in the enjoyment of this gay world of pleasure and activity as any girl come up for her first season.  Perhaps this notion occurred to the astute and experienced Lieutenant Ogilvie, who considered it his duty to warn his youthful and ingenuous friend.