Old Hamish, noticing the expression of his master's eyes, went off quickly enough, and soon got hold of Donald, the piper-lad. "Donald," said he, in the Gaelic, "you will run down to the quay as fast as your legs can carry you, and you will tell them to get the boat ready, and not to lose any time in getting the boat ready, and to have the seat dry, and let there be no talking when Sir Keith gets on board. And here is the gun too, and the bag; and you will tell them to have no talking among themselves this day." When Macleod got down to the small stone pier, the two men were in the boat. Johnny Wickes was standing at the door of the storehouse. "Would you like to go for a sail, Johnny?" Macleod said abruptly, but there was no longer that dangerous light in his eyes. "Oh yes, sir," said the boy, eagerly; for he had long ago lost his dread of the sea. "Get in, then, and get up to the bow." So Johnny Wickes vent cautiously down the few slippery stone steps, half tumbled into the bottom of the great open boat, and then scrambled up to the bow. "Where will you be for going, sir?" said one of the men when Macleod had jumped into the stern and taken the tiller. "Anywhere--right out!" he answered, carelessly. But it was all very well to say "right out!" when there was a stiff breeze blowing right in. Scarcely had the boat put her nose out beyond the pier, and while as yet there was but little way on her, when a big sea caught her, springing high over her bows and coming rattling down on her with a noise as of pistol-shots. The chief victim of this deluge was the luckless Johnny Wickes, who tumbled down into the bottom of the boat, vehemently blowing the salt-water out of his mouth, and rubbing his knuckles into his eyes. Macleod burst out laughing. "What's the good of you as a lookout?" he cried. "Didn't you see the water coming?" "Yes, sir," said Johnny, ruefully laughing, too. But he would not be beaten. He scrambled up again to his post, and clung there, despite the fierce wind and the clouds of spray. "Keep her close up, sir," said the man who had the sheet of the huge lugsail in both his hands, as he cast a glance out at the darkening sea.