Though, during the first years of his youth, the pick was never out of Harry's hand, nevertheless the young miner was not long in acquiring sufficient knowledge to raise him into the upper class of the miners, and he would certainly have succeeded his father as overman of the Dochart pit, if the colliery had not been abandoned.
James Starr was still a good walker, yet he could not easily have kept up with his guide, if the latter had not slackened his pace.

The young man, carrying the engineer's bag, followed the left bank of the river for about a mile.

Leaving its winding course, they took a road under tall, dripping trees.

Wide fields lay on either side, around isolated farms.

In one field a herd of hornless cows were quietly grazing; in another sheep with silky wool, like those in a child's toy sheep fold.
The Yarrow shaft was situated four miles from Callander.