’Yes, I am sure; for I can see the dog-cart at the door of the inn.’ ’Well now,’ said he, hastily snatching up his cap, ’that is a stroke of luck—if he will come with us. I will go and meet him.’ But he need not have hurried so much; the dog-cart was still at the door of the inn when he went out; and indeed remained there as he made his way along the road. The Doctor, who was a most sociable person, had stopped for a moment to hear the news; but Mr. Murray happened to be there, and so the chat was a protracted one. In the meantime Ronald’s long swinging stride soon brought him into their neighbourhood. ’Good morning, Doctor!’ he cried. ’Good morning, Ronald,’ said the other, turning round. He was a big man, somewhat corpulent, with an honest, wholesome, ruddy face, soft brown eyes, and an expressive mouth, that could temper his very apparent good-nature with a little mild sarcasm. ’You’ve come back in the nick of time,’ the keeper said—for well he knew the Doctor’s keen love of a gun. ’I’m thinking of driving some of the far tops the day, to thin down the hares a bit; and I’m sure ye’d be glad to lend us a hand.’ ’Man, I was going home to my bed, to tell ye the truth,’ said the Doctor; ’it’s very little sleep I’ve had the last ten days.’ ’What is the use of that?’ said Ronald, ’there’s aye plenty o’ time for sleep in the winter.’ And then the heavy-framed occupant of the dog-cart glanced up at the far-reaching heights of Clebrig, and there was a grim smile on his mouth. ’It’s all very well,’ said he, ’for herring-stomached young fellows like you to face a hill like that; but I’ve got weight to carry, man; and— ’Come, come, Doctor; it’s not the first time you’ve been on Clebrig,’ Ronald said—he could see that Meenie’s father wanted to be persuaded. ’Besides, we’ll no try the highest tops up there—there’s been too much snow. And I’ll tell ye how we’ll make it easy for ye; we’ll row ye down the loch and begin at the other end and work home—there, it’s a fair offer.’ It was an offer, at all events, that the big doctor could not withstand. ’Well, well,’ said he, ’I’ll just drive the dog-cart along and see how they are at home; and then if the wife lets me out o’ her clutches, I’ll come down to the loch side as fast as I can.’ Ronald turned to one of the stable-lads (all of whom were transformed into beaters on this occasion). ’Jimmy, just run over to the house and fetch my gun; and bid Maggie put twenty cartridges—number 4, she knows where they are—into the bag; and then ye can take the gun and the cartridge-bag down to the boat—and be giving her a bale-out till I come along. I’m going to the farm now, to get two more lads if I can; tell the Doctor I’ll no be long after him, if he gets down to the loch first.’