'Of course they would. They're no end of a good sort. Hush, they're coming downstairs again.' 'Are you tired after the steamer?' Allan asked his guest during lunch. 'A bit, not very,' replied the elder lad, whose name was Harry. 'Feel a bit as though the floor was rocking.' 'You'll feel like that until you've had a night's rest, anyway,' said Allan. 'Are you too tired to do anything this afternoon?' 'Not at all,' answered his friend. 'Gerald, you're game to do something after lunch, aren't you?' His brother, who had been trying to make a conversation with Reggie, while Tricksy sat shyly on his other side, looked up with a smile. 'The steamer went close under some fine rocks, not far from the village,' he said; 'very high ones, with birds sitting in rows, all the way up, and making an awful screaming.' 'Yes,' said Allan, 'those are the Skegness Cliffs, a great nesting-place of the birds. We'll take you there after lunch, if it's not too far.' The boys looked pleased, and as soon as freed from the restraint of their elders' presence they ran to fetch their caps and demanded to be taken to the rocks. 'We had better not go so soon, I think,' said Allan. 'We are expecting Hamish and Marjorie, our friends from Corranmore, and we'll ask them to go with us. There's a jolly burn that runs quite near the house; suppose we go and fish in it until they come.' Fishing-tackle was found for the entire party, and they proceeded to the banks of the burn, which trickled down the hill-side and across a meadow, widening into little pools fringed with ragged-robin and queen o' the meadow; and finally falling in a little cascade down to the shore. 'What a fine dog this is of yours,' observed Gerald, caressing Laddie, who had been fawning upon the new-comers, and now ended by sitting down between Gerald and Tricksy. Tricksy looked gratified. 'He's my dog,' she said. 'He likes you, I think.' Gerald stroked Laddie's head and his white ruffle, and the dog made a little sound to express gratification. 'Tricksy, keep your dog quiet, he'll frighten away the trout,' sang out Allan warningly; and Tricksy requested Laddie to 'trust.' The sun shone down upon green grass and brown pools, and drew out the perfume of the flowers and heather. Not far distant was the pleasant noise of the sea, and the calling of the gulls answered the plaintive cry of the plovers which fluttered about the moor and the meadows. The day was too bright, and the trout which could be seen at the bottom of the pools refused to take. After a little while the strong fresh air and sun began to have a drowsy effect upon the anglers. Gerald rubbed his eyes once or twice, and stifled a yawn; and Tricksy found that he was disinclined for conversation. 'Hulloa!' cried a voice from the top of a ridge; and Marjorie and Hamish came racing down. Laddie's welcoming bark roused Gerald, who jumped into a sitting posture, and looked about him in a surprised way.