“I don’t know exactly what he said, but he seemed to have some idea that my action wasn’t legal. Well, if it isn’t, all I’ve got to say is there’s something very radically wrong with the law. Things have come to a pretty pass if bands of hikers can camp round notice-boards forbidding camping, and light fires on grouse-moors, and scare the birds, and sit listening to all this beastly jazz on the wireless in the middle of a landowner’s preserves. I told Lindsay-Wolseley I was determined to give them a lesson and when I’ve made up my mind, Trixie, you know nothing will change it.”

“Yes; that’s why I thought it wiser for us to have this little talk. I’m sure you already realize you’ve been too hasty.”

“I don’t realize anything of the kind,” the Chieftain contradicted loudly. “And I do wish you’d let me get on with my shaving. I’ll be late for dinner, and you know what a point I make about punctuality. I’ve always tried to set an example. You have to in the West Highlands. We’d be starting dinner at midnight before we knew where we were if I didn’t set an example.”

“There’s no need for you to be late, Donald. If you’ll give me the keys of the dungeons I’ll try to arrange matters.”

The indignant swing round of the Chieftain’s head at this request was too quick for the shaving-brush, which missed his cheek and profusely lathered the inside of his right ear.

“Arrange matters?” he fumed. “How are you proposing to arrange matters?”

“Why, I shall tell Mrs Parsall to give them supper, and then they can be driven back to where they were camping beside Loch Hoo. Duncan told me you’d given him orders to throw all their camping outfit into the loch. But I said you’d changed your mind and did not wish the tents disturbed.”

Ben Nevis stared at his Lady. Had the lather in his ear affected his hearing?

“You countermanded orders I’d given to Duncan?”

“Yes, dear, and now let me have the keys. I shall have plenty of time to put matters right before dinner,” she assured him tranquilly.

“Look here, Trixie, when I rounded up these hikers I didn’t bring them to Glenbogle to be entertained. I brought them here to show them that they can’t play fast and loose with a man like myself. They are going to remain in the dungeons at any rate for to-night. I may release them tomorrow with a warning. I shall decide about that tomorrow. Royde thinks I ought to keep them shut up for at least a week.”