Christian life -- Fiction; Great Britain -- Fiction; Young women -- Fiction
"It isn't company I want," said Rowena, smiling; "only the sun. I
suppose the Highlands can't have all the good things in this world.
There are few parts like it for beauty and romance, but I'm ashamed
of my discontent, Granny! And just as I have learnt to be happy on my
back, so I shall learn to be happy through the worst of weather. One
can adapt oneself to anything! Habit is the main thing. The habit of
content shall be mine."
The weather cleared the next day, but it was not settled. One
afternoon, about two days later, after a couple of hours lovely
sunshine, a sudden squall came on. The clouds were broken and the play
of light and shadow on the opposite hills so fascinated Rowena that she
took up a telescope which Duncan had brought her, and began studying
the horizon.
Suddenly she made an exclamation and rang a bell by her side.
When Granny appeared she said sharply:
"Is Colin near at hand?"
"He has bin killin' a fowl, mem."
"Tell him to get the boat quickly. Do you see some one on the loch in
distress? It looks like a small boy. Oh, don't stop to look, Granny!
Colin will have younger eyes than yours—call him quickly. It is
half-way across here, from the island."
Granny disappeared. Rowena listened impatiently to the voices outside
her window. The loch was lashing itself into a fury. The small boat she
had discovered with her telescope was now plainly discernible. But it
was making no progress, only tossing up and down, a sport of the rough
element around it.
It seemed a long time before Colin had started the boat, but Rowena saw
it leave the small landing-stage at last and, to her great relief, two
men were in it. Duncan had evidently appeared on the scene and offered
his services.
Rowena took up her telescope again. She saw a little figure in bonnet
and kilt sitting in the boat struggling very ineffectually with the
oars.
"How like a boy," she thought, "to venture out on a day like this!"
And then she saw from the efforts of the two rescuers what a strong
wind and current was against them. Once a wave seemed to dash over
the distant boat. Rowena held her breath, and then a call from
Duncan—evidently an attempt to hearten up the little rower by telling
him help was at hand. Slowly but surely the boats came nearer. At last
they touched. Through the telescope Rowena watched the child clambering
in from one boat to the other, then saw the men row back to the shore
towing the other boat after them. Before they landed, Granny appeared
in some excitement.
"It's that weeld bairn o' the laird's, an' near anow was she to her
death, to be sure! Shame on Angus for lettin' the bairn tak' a boat
this day!"
"What child do you mean? Boys will be boys."
"But she's a girl!"
Rowena looked up surprised.
"Who is it?" she asked.
"'Tis Mysie Macdonald, an' I'll be changin' her things surely! It's
just a maircy o' the A'mighty's that the wee bairn is not drooned."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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