"Tam, ye stot, ye've let the muckle yin aff again," groaned the smaller.

"Oh, be canny, man! If we grip him it'll be the biggest trout that the laird will have in his basket," The elder boy, who was bearing the heat and burden of the work, could only groan "Heather!" at intervals.

It seemed to be his one exclamation.
Now it happened that the two ragamuffins lifted their eyes and saw to their amazement a girl walking on the bank above them, a girl who smiled comrade-like on them and seemed in no way surprised.

They propped themselves on their elbows and stared.

"Heather!" they ejaculated in one breath.