Indeed he took it from her to lay it down safely, and right glad was she; for she was pretty well exhausted by this time, and fain to take a seat on one of the rocks while they proceeded to weigh the salmon with a pocket-scale.
'Seventeen pounds--and a beauty: as pretty a fish as ever I saw come out of the loch.'
'Well, we've managed it, Ronald,' said she, laughing, 'but I don't know how. There he is--sure; but how we got him out of that hurricane I can't tell.'
'There was twice I thought ye had lost him,' said he gravely. 'The line got desperately slack after ye jumped ashore----'
'Jumped ashore?' she said. 'Seems to me I was flung ashore, like a sack of old clothes.'
'But ye were not hurt?' said he, glancing quickly at her.
'No, no; not a bit--nor even wet; and if I had been, _that_ is enough for anything.'
'Johnnie, lad, get some rushes, and put the fish in the box. We'll have a surprise for them when we get back, I'm thinking.'
'We'll try, anyway--oh yes--it's no so bad now.'
But still it was a stiff pull; and they did not think it worth while to put out the line again. Miss Carry devoted her whole attention to sheltering herself from the spray; and was fairly successful. When, at length, they reached the top of the loch and landed, they were treated to a little mild sarcasm from those who had prudently remained on shore; but they said nothing; the time was not yet come.
Then came the question as to whether all of them could pull down the opposite side of the loch to the big rock; for there they would have shelter for lunch; while here in the open every gust that swooped down from the Clebrig slopes caught them in mid career. Nay, just then the wind seemed to moderate; so they made all haste into the cobles; and in due time the whole party were landed at the rock, which, with its broad ledges for seats, and its overhanging ferns, formed a very agreeable and sheltered resort. Of course, there was but the one thing wanting. A fishing party at lunch on the shores of a Highland loch is a very picturesque thing; but it is incomplete without some beautiful silver-gleaming object in the foreground. There always is a bit of grass looking as if it were just meant for that display; and when the little plateau is empty, the picture lacks its chief point of interest.