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Updated: May 18, 2025
Just at that moment, Jacky Sudberry turned slowly round a sharp angle of the road, and stood there transfixed, with his eyes like two saucers, and his mouth as round as an o. The sight of this intruder distracted Billy's attention for a moment. Growler at once bounded over the low wall and dived into the underwood.
"My poor lad, you must not come any farther with us. I had no idea you were so much fatigued. Remain here by the provisions, and rest in the sunshine till we return." So Mr Sudberry gave Peter a plaid that had been carried up to serve as a table-cloth, and told him to wrap well up in it, lest he should catch cold.
"I have written off to secure a residence in the Highlands of Scotland for our summer quarters this season." Mrs Sudberry stared in mute surprise. "John! my dear! are you in earnest? Have you not been precipitate in this matter? You know, love, that I have always trusted in your prudence to make arrangements for the spending of our holiday; but really, when I think "
Mr Sudberry rubbed his hands and said, "Come, I like to have a touch of all sorts of weather, and won't we have a jolly tea and a rousing fire when we get home?" Mrs Sudberry sighed at the word "home." McAllister volunteered a song, and struck up the "Callum's Lament," a dismally cheerful Gaelic ditty.
Mr Sudberry stopped with a startled look as he said this. He glanced at the sun, pulled out his watch, gazed at it with unutterable surprise, put it to his ear, and groaned. "Too late! half-past five; dinner at five punctually! Oh! Mary, Mary, won't I catch it to-night!" A cloud passed over the sun as he spoke.
Hector said he would undertake it, but after attempting to light it with damp sticks he gave it up and assisted the ladies to lay the cloth on the grass. Then George and Fred got the fire to kindle, and Mr Sudberry, in attempting to mend it, burnt his fingers and put it out; whereupon McAllister came to his rescue and got it to blaze in right earnest.
"This is really charming, is it not, Mr Macgregor?" said Mrs Sudberry, with a languid smile. "Macdonald, madam, if I may be allowed to correct you," said Hector, with a smile and a little bow. "Ah, to be sure!"
Mr Sudberry said this heartily, and went off to the baker's by dead reckoning discomfited but chuckling. The butcher pondered and philosophised over the subject the remainder of the afternoon with much curiosity, but with no success.
Even Mrs Sudberry enjoyed that romantic night-trip on the water. It was so dark that there was a tendency to keep silence on landing to speak in low tones; but a little burst of delight broke forth when they surmounted the dark shoulder of the hill, and came at last in sight of the windows of the White House, glowing a ruddy welcome home.
They lived in a small cottage, or off-shoot, at the back of the principal dwelling, in close proximity to which were the byre, stable, and barns. It would occupy too much space to relate in detail all the things and sights that called forth the delight and surprise of the excitable Mr Sudberry.
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