Higher and higher the little group ascended in this quest, till the sight of the wide, naked hills, and the hawks circling round the lofty, tower-like crags over their heads, made them feel serious and somewhat afraid. ‘Where are we?’ asked Jane, the elder sister. ‘Arn’t we a long way from hom?’ ‘Let us go hom,’ said little Nancy. ‘I’m afeerd here;’ clutching hold of Jane’s frock. ‘Pho, nonsense!’ said David, ‘what are you afreed on? I’ll tak care on you, niver fear.’ And with this he assumed a bold and defying aspect, and said, ‘Come along; there are nests in th’ hazzles up yonder.’ He began to mount again, but the two girls hung back and said, ‘Nay, David, dunna go higher; we are both afreed;’ and Jane added, ‘It’s a long wee from hom, I’m sure.’ ‘And those birds screechen’ so up there; I darna go up,’ added little Nancy. They were the hawks that she meant, which hovered whimpering and screaming about the highest cliffs. David called them little cowards, but began to descend and, presently, seeking for berries and flowers as they descended, they regained the little winding, craggy road, and, while they were calling to each other, discovered a remarkable echo on the opposite hill side. On this, they shouted to it, and laughed, and were half frightened when it laughed and shouted again. Little Nancy said it must be an old man in the inside of the mountain; at which they were all really afraid, though David put on a big look, and said, ‘Nonsense! it was nothing at all.’ But Jane asked how nothing at all could shout and laugh as it did? and on this little Nancy plucked her again by the frock, and said in turn, ‘Oh, dear, let’s go hom!’