Many of the Scottish legends and stories of romance and history have an abounding interest for Americans of all ages, and who shall say that Scott and Burns are not as great favourites in America as in Scotland itself? For this reason, and for the fact that thousands of Scottish-Americans have never severed the ties of sentiment which bind them to Bonnie Scotland, a warm welcome is assured to our little Scotch cousins whenever they may come to visit America. As with our little English cousins there is the bond of common speech; and Scotch institutions, though varied and strange in many instances, are in others very similar to those of America. Of the historic and scenic charms of Scotland much has already been written in the romances and poems of Scott and Burns, so that little American cousins may be expected to have at least a nodding acquaintance with them. On the other hand, these charms are so numerous and varied that American cousins cannot but wish that some day they may be able to visit the land of purple heather. Contents CHAPTER PAGE I. THE FINDING OF "ROB ROY" 1 II. SCHOOL-DAYS AND HOLIDAYS 14 III. A WALK IN EDINBURGH 28 IV. ANOTHER WALK IN EDINBURGH AND A VISIT TO ABBOTSFORD 47 V. THE GATHERING OF THE CLANS 58 VI. SOME SCOTCH CUSTOMS 74 VII. SUMMER HOLIDAYS 83 List of Illustrations PAGE DONALD GORDON _Frontispiece_ A NEWHAVEN FISHWIFE 25 THE HIGHLAND PIPER 34 MELROSE ABBEY 54 "'JUST A WEE GIFTIE FOR THE LASSIE'" 68 "OUR LITTLE SCOTCH FRIENDS WERE STANDING BEFORE THE LITTLE HOUSE AT AYR, WHERE ROBERT BURNS WAS BORN" 88 [Illustration: MAP _of_ SCOTLAND _Places mentioned in OUR LITTLE SCOTCH COUSIN_] Our Little Scotch Cousin CHAPTER I. THE FINDING OF "ROB ROY" "HELLO! Sandy, what do you think I have got here?" called Donald, over the low wall which separated his garden from that of his chum. He was quite excited, so Sandy knew that something out of the ordinary had happened, and quickly leaped over the wall. He found Donald carefully holding his muffler, which was wriggling about in the most extraordinary manner. "What on earth is it,--a rat?" asked Sandy, looking curiously at the muffler, which seemed trying to tie itself up in a hard knot. "A rat!" exclaimed Donald, with great scorn.