And now two or three of the lasses rose to clear the table; for the red-bearded drover and his brigade had not the skill to do that; and the men lit their pipes; and there was a good deal of joyous _schwärmerei_. In the midst of it all there was a rapping of spoons and knuckles at the upper end of the table; and it was clear, from the importance of his look, that Mr. Murray himself was about to favour the company—so that a general silence ensued. And very well indeed did the host of the evening sing—in a shrill, high-pitched voice, it is true, but still with such a multitude of small flourishes and quavers and grace notes as showed he had once been proud enough of his voice in the days gone by. ’Scotland yet’ he sang; and there was a universal rush at the chorus— _’And trow ye as I sing, my lads,_ _The burden o’t shall be,_ _Auld Scotland’s howes, and Scotland’s knowes,_ _And Scotland’s hills for me,_ _I’ll drink a cup to Scotland yet,_ _Wi’ a’ the honours three.’_ And was their American friend to be excluded?—not if he knew it. He could make a noise as well as any; and he waved the quaich—which had wandered back to him—round his head; and strident enough was his voice with _I’ll drink a cup to Scotland yet,_ _Wi’ a’ the honours three.’_ ’I feel half a Scotchman already,’ said he gaily to his hostess. ’Indeed, sir, I wish you were altogether one,’ she said in her gentle way. ’I am sure I think you would look a little better in health if you lived in this country.’ ’But I don’t look so ill, do I?’ said he—rather disappointed; for he had been striving to be hilarious, and had twice drank the contents of the quaich, out of pure friendliness. ’Well, no, sir,’ said Mrs. Murray politely, ’not more than most of them I hef seen from your country; but surely it cannot be so healthy as other places; the young ladies are so thin and delicate-looking whatever; many a one I would like to hef kept here for a while—for more friendly young ladies I never met with anywhere—just to see what the mountain air and the sweet milk would do for her.’ ’Well, then, Mrs. Murray, you will have the chance of trying your doctoring on my daughter when she comes up here a few weeks hence; but I think you won’t find much of the invalid about her—it’s my belief she could give twenty pounds to any girl I know of in a go-as-you-please race across the stiffest ground anywhere. There’s not much the matter with my Carry, if she’d only not spend the whole day in those stores in Regent Street. Well, that will be over when she come here; I should think it’ll make her stare some, if she wants to buy a veil or a pair of gloves.’ But the girls at the foot of the table had been teasing Ronald to sing something; silence was forthwith procured; and presently—for he was very good natured, and sang whenever he was asked—the clear and penetrating tenor voice was ringing along the rafters: