shiny and silky, that Toddles longed for a brush, in order to have the pleasure of brushing it several times the wrong way.

"Well, I'm glad I've met such a jolly couple as you two; but excuse me a minute, I'll just square it with the guard, and then give you the benefit of my company for the best part of the evening."

Toddles and Stepwell groaned.

The Cockney was on such good terms with both driver and guard, that a stranger might have imagined that he was their brother, for the trio went into the inn and drank brandy and water together in a very amicable manner. Our tourists were requested to join the party, but at once declined, in spite of the temptation (?) that the youth would "stand treat, and that they ought not to be uppish, 'cos it didn't pay." Nor more did the officials of the coach, for they soon ran off, and left their friend to settle the score, which he did by dragging out a large purse, full to the brim of notes and sovereigns.

As soon as the coach had left the Cockney rejoined the friends, and, hitting Toddles on the back, said, "And now, my bucks, I'll tell you how it is you see me here. After I parted with you at Tarbet, I did Loch Katrine and made my way to Stirling, where I had some business to transact, and then, thinking I should like to glance at Inverness, I took train as far north as I could, joined the coach, and here I am.”

This youth, whose manners and looks gave him the appearance of a man of thirty, was in reality not quite one-and-twenty.

"And may I ask what has brought you to this part of Scotland?" asked Toddles.

:

"Certainly I have come to have some grouse-shooting with my friend, the Hon. Tom Dodson, at Inverness. If the weather is fine, we shall begin to-morrow, I think."

"What! shoot grouse on the 4th August?" almost shouted Stepwell, starting from his seat; "why, don't you know, man, that it is against the law to shoot till the 12th of this month?"

The youth turned red, and began to look uneasy. Suddenly recovering his self-possession, he said, "Of course I do; but the Hon. Tom and I don't mind that. If I do break the law, I can mend it with this ointment, you know," pulling his yellow bag out of his trousers pocket. "But come, let's change the subject. Oh, I enjoyed myself on Loch Katrine that day we parted. Wasn't that a nice girl, Mr. Podgy?"

"Oh, Toddles is it? well, that's all right; you should have heard then what that young lady said. She said your looks were those of

a jockey, and your manners not quite so refined.

you, old fellow, wasn't it?"

Rather hard on

Toddles and Stepwell exchanged glances, which seemed to indicate their desire of kicking the fellow out of the room.

Talking of jockeys, I suppose you are fond of riding?" Stepwell nodded.

"So am I; but, to tell the truth, I don't often get a chance of indulging in equestrian exercise. When I am on a horse I do enjoy being in the pig-skin, though I think regular trousers are better."

"I should imagine that calf-skin would suit you as well as anything,' quietly suggested Toddles.

"Don't you know that being in the pig-skin is simply another expression for being in the saddle?" quickly said Stepwell.

"Oh, is it, really?" was the confused reply. "Well, I always understood that it meant the stuff your clothes were made of.”

After this exposure of the Cockney's ignorance, Toddles and Stepwell returned to the inn. Scarcely had they taken their seats when the pig-skin" gentleman rejoined them.

"And now, what are you fellows up to?" said he, condescendingly. "Let's see; why, it aint ten yet, so what do you say to a game of cards?" "I don't know a game," replied Toddles.

"And I don't know a card," answered Stepwell.

"Oh, nonsense! come, now, you're joking. Let's have a game at three-halfpenny loo; anything to pass the time, you know."

"I say, Tom," whispered Toddles, "this fellow is an unsufferable nuisance, so let's off to bed at once."

On reaching their room Tom and Richard at once went through the account for the day:

"I say, Dick, this is glorious, only 6s. 24d. to pay.

This is the best day we have had," said Tom. Just then they heard a knock at their door, and a voice shouted, "Do have a game, that's good fellows."

Oh, bother that fellow, I'll punch his head," said Stepwell. A noise of boots precipitously descending the stairs was heard, and, as Tom's design was frustrated, both he and his friend quietly went to bed.

TODDLES'S HIGHLAND TOUR.

A

THE SIXTH DAY-BRIDGE OF CARR TO STIRLING.

WAKING at seven o'clock, heartily refreshed by their good and long night's rest, Toddles and Stepwell dressed themselves and descended to the breakfast-room, where they found awaiting them their consequential friend of the previous evening, who at that moment was blustering about some letters of importance he had to write, and was expressing himself in terms of great indignation, because the paper which the landlord provided for him was not adorned with the name of the hostelry.

At a quarter to nine the coach from Inverness appeared, and after paying £1 each for the privilege of two outside seats to Pitlochrie, they took their places and bade farewell to the cockney and Carr Bridge. The morning was delightfully fine, and the coach, drawn by four fine brown horses, bowled along the high-road, through plantations and cultivated land. In a short time they reached Aviemore, where the railway connecting Inverness with Perth was in progress.* The line-or rather part of it-had been opened upon the previous day, and, as a train was expected in a few minutes after the arrival of the coach, the driver pulled up and determined to wait in order to see the novel sight of a train. Novel indeed it was, for at least twenty or thirty people were drawn up in line anxiously awaiting the arrival of the strange messenger, which, when it did come, contained only a few navvies, sent on from another part of the line in order to expedite the operations. A few miles further on, two artists, who had been sketching in the neighbourhood for some weeks, got upon the coach, and taking their

*This line, which has only just been opened, was suggested in 1845, when the railway mania was at its height. Fortunately the bill was then rejected on account of the length of some of the gradients. The delay has probably saved a great deal of money, since at that time railways were made regardless of expense, whereas now the railway which actually scales the Grainpian Hills has been made at an expense of less than £8,000 a mile. The advantage of it, as regards a saving of time, can readily be understood. Before this railway was built travellers desirous of going from Inverness to Perth by rail had to go round by Aberdeen, a journey of ten hours; now they can go direct from one town to the other in five hours.

seats next to the tourists, at once entered into conversation.

This, as may be assumed, consisted chiefly of remarks on the beautiful scenery around them. They praised the lakes and the hills; they were of opinion that the rail sadly spoiled the beautiful prospect; and they considered that the scenery was as fine as could be met with in the British Isles.

As the clock struck eleven the coach dashed through a little Highland village, or clachan, of one street, in which the houses were either thatched or slated, and then pulled up at "The Kingussie" Inn to breakfast. The village is noted for its large pauperized population, and the inordinate quantity of whisky consumed in it. The latter fact probably accounts for the former. Opposite the village are the ruins of Ruthven Barracks, which the Highlanders destroyed in 1746. It was at this place that these people met, to the number of 8,000, but two days after their defeat at Culloden, in the hope that Prince Charlie would again take the field.

After partaking of a dry biscuit and a glass of ale, Toddles and Stepwell walked along the high-road, admiring the grand prospect before them, and noting the deep red colour on the hills, which was the result of the frost.

Large white posts, with black tops, stood on the road at intervals of about twenty yards, in order to serve as signposts in the winter, and prevent the weary traveller straying off the road when the snow was deep on the ground.

The blue hills on each side not only riveted the attention of Toddles and his friend, but also that of the two artists, who were continually nudging each other to point out an exquisite bit of colour, and who looked upon the roof of a cottage as containing some of the most charming contrasts they had ever seen.

The coachman soon directed the attention of Toddles to the lofty Grampian Hills, which stretched in wild magnificence before them. Richard at once began to quote

and was rather disconcerted when one of the artists took him up and repeated gravely,—

"On the Grampian Hills

My father feeds his flock of frugal swine."

Summoning all the resolution of which he was master to keep his countenance at this strange perversion of the speech, Toddles turned

to the coachman and asked him if he knew on which of the Grampians Norval's abode was formerly situated.

Ech, sir! I believe that Norval is all a lie, and that there never was nae sich a person."

The way in which the railway bothered the driver was somewhat amusing. First it would run parallel with the road for some distance; then it would dart underneath it and continue its course for some distance upon the other side; then it would cross and recross first over and then under, occasionally building a new piece of road for the convenience of that coach which, in a short time, it was to displace altogether.

The country now became bleak and rugged, only varied by a pleasant green plantation at Dalwhinnie, about seven miles past which are two mountains known as the Badenoch Boar and the Atholl Sow, where the mountain-streams part in opposite directions. This spot is the proper boundary between the two counties of Inverness and Perth. The road continues as black and barren as ever until the inn of Dalnacardoch is reached. The proprietor, perhaps in the hope of enlivening the scene, has dubbed his tavern an "Hospitium; but it requires something more than that to make the prospect agreeable. At four o'clock the coach stopped at Blair Atholl, the seat of the Duke of Atholl. Although the village is small, yet it boasts of two splendid hotels, probably built for the accommodation of those friends of his Grace who are unable to stop at the large white house, or palace, one sees through the trees. The forests about here abound in game of all sorts, and the deer on this estate is estimated at 15,000; but, as these animals are supposed to require repose and stillness, agricultural operations do not flourish as much as might be desired. At Atholl House, formerly known as Blair Castle, a long building three storys high, Her Majesty stayed for nearly three weeks in 1844, and, in her great condescension, stopped there for a few hours on her journey to Balmoral last year, in order to make inquiries after the Duke's health, who died a short time after the honour had been paid to him.

As soon as the horses had been attached to the coach, it started off on its last stage, a distance of seven miles, to Pitlochrie. About three miles from the former place is the famous Pass of Killiecrankie, considered by some tourists to be the grandest sight in Scotland. Just before the coach turned the corner where it was situated, the driver directed the attention of the travellers to a large stone in the centre of a field on the left side of the road, which marked the identical spot where Claverhouse fell at the great battle of Killiecrankie, fought in 1689, between the