“I shan’t try to involve him or Rawstorne or Jack Fraser,” Ben Nevis said proudly. “I think I can manage with my own people. We’ve managed for a good many years now. I only asked you, Wolseley, because I thought you might enjoy the kind of sport you must often have enjoyed at Peshawar. Well, I’m sorry to break up our day like this, but I must get my forces-together.”

The Colonel saw it was useless to argue further with his friend. At any rate, he was glad to hear himself addressed again as “Wolseley.” It indicated that his refusal to take part in the punitive expedition against the hikers was no longer resented. Lindsay-Wolseley was what Ben Nevis always called him when they found themselves in disagreement at a meeting of the County Council.

“That was the kind of thing which wrecked the ’Forty-five, Hugh,” the Chieftain observed to the laird of Kilwhillie when the ponies with the four recreant guns were lost to sight in a dip of the moor on the way back to the Pass of Ballochy and the waiting cars. “However, thank God, the old loyalties haven’t entirely disappeared!”

“You can’t expect newcomers to feel as we do, Donald.” Then Hugh Cameron remembered his plan to sell Knocknacolly and its dilapidated lodge to Chester Royde Jr. “Not all newcomers, that is.”

“Well, I’ll say I’m enjoying myself,” the young financier declared. “But what do we do if these hoodlums won’t put their hands up, Ben Nevis?”

“I’m sending the beaters round to cut off their retreat. I don’t think they’ll resist. They’re a weedy type. And there are some women with them. Extraordinary class of people altogether. I’m relying on you, Mary, and you, Catriona, to deal with these women. And what about you, Miss Royde?”

“Oh, please don’t call me that, Ben Nevis. I don’t feel a little bit like a daughter of the clan when you call me Miss Royde.”

“Very nice of you. Appreciate it very much. Well, what are you going to do, Myrtle? I think Murdoch had better look after you.”

“No, I know just what I’m going to do,” said Myrtle firmly. “I’m going to stay right by you, Ben Nevis. I’m going to be your vivandière.”