It was a very shamefaced Margot who made her appearance at the dinner-
table that evening; but, to her unspeakable relief, she found that there
was no cause for embarrassment. Instead of the meaning glances and
joking remarks which she had dreaded, she was greeted with the ordinary
kindly prosaic welcome, and not even Mrs Macalister herself ventured an
innuendo. The Chieftain was the only one who alluded to the non-
appearance of the searchers, and the manner in which he did so was a
triumph of the commonplace.
"Muddled up that hide-and-seek finely, didn't we?" he cried cheerily.
"Afraid you had all your trouble for nothing. I happened to catch a
glimpse of you heading off in the wrong direction, so turned into `It'
myself, and rooted them all out of their lairs. Then we played some
sensible, middle-aged, sitting-down games, and strolled home in time for
a siesta before dinner. Very good picnic, I call it. Great success!
We'll have another, one of these fine days."
"'Deed yes, and we will!" assented Mrs Macalister genially. "It stirs
a body up to have an outing now and then. I was thinking, why shouldn't
we drive over to B-- and see the old castle and all the sights? I've
been hankering to go ever since we arrived; but it mounts up when you
drive about by yourselves. If we shared two carriages between us, it
would make all the difference, and it seems foolish-like to be in a
neighbourhood and not see what there is to be seen. You can get
carriages from Rew, they tell me, if you order them a day or two
before."
To the amazement of the company, it was George Elgood of all others who
hastened to second the proposal.
"A capital idea!" he cried. "B-- is one of the finest old ruins in
Scotland. Of course we must go; it would be worse than foolish to go
home without seeing it. I have been before, so I could act as guide,
and those who possess cameras had better take them also, as the place is
rich in subjects."
The clergyman and his son pricked up their ears at this, photography
being with them only a degree less absorbing a pastime than that of
walking; Ron awoke suddenly to the remembrance that his half-plate
camera had never been unpacked since his arrival; and the three vied
with each other in asking questions about the proposed excursion, and in
urging that a date should be fixed. Before the meal had come to a
conclusion, plans were mapped out, and a division of labour made, by
which one person was held responsible for the hiring of carriages,
another for the promised food, while George Elgood was left to arrange
the plan of campaign.