Chapter 2—The Clan

lapherhandsandlaughasshehadnotdoneforweeks. “Howisthat,mylassie?”askedthePrince,comingupallflushedandbreathlesswhentheballetwasover. “Itwassplendid!Ineverwenttothetheatrebutonce,andthedancingwasnothalfsoprettyasthis.Whatcleverboysyoumustbe!”saidRose,smilinguponherkinsmenlikealittlequeenuponhersubjects. “Ah,we'reafinelot,andthatisonlythebeginningofourlarks.Wehaven'tgotthepipeshereorwe'd, 'Singforyou,playforyou Adulcymelody,'” answeredCharlie,lookingmuchelatedatherpraise. “IdidnotknowwewereScotchpapaneversaidanythingaboutit,orseemedtocareaboutScotland,excepttohavemesingtheoldballads,”saidRose,beginningtofeelasifshehadleftAmericabehindhersomewhere. “Neitherdidwetilllately.We'vebeenreadingScott'snovels,andallofasuddenwerememberedthatourgrandfatherwasaScotchman.Sowehunteduptheoldstories,gotabagpipe,putonourplaids,andwentin,heartandsoul,forthegloryoftheClan.We'vebeenatitsometimenow,andit'sgreatfun.Ourpeoplelikeit,andIthinkweareaprettycannyset.” Archiesaidthisfromtheothercoach-step,wherehehadperched,whiletherestclimbedupbeforeandbehindtojoininthechatastheyrested. “I'mFitzjamesandhe'sRoderickDhu,andwe'llgiveyouthebroadswordcombatsomeday.It'sagreatthing,you'dbetterbelieve,”addedthePrince. “Yes,andyoushouldhearSteveplaythepipes.Hemakes'emskirllikeagoodone,”criedWillfromthebox,eagertoairtheaccomplishmentsofhisrace. “Mac'sthefellowtohuntuptheoldstoriesandtellushowtodressright,andpickoutrousingbitsforustospeakandsing,”putinGeordie,sayingagoodwordfortheabsentWorm. “AndwhatdoyouandWilldo?”askedRoseofJamie,whosatbesideherasifboundtokeepherinsighttillthepromisedgifthadbeenhandedover. “Oh,I'mthelittlefoot-page,anddoerrands,andWillandGeordiearethetroopswhenwemarch,andthestagswhenwehunt,andthetraitorswhenwewanttocutanyheadsoff.” “Theyareveryobliging,I'msure,”saidRose,whereatthe“utilitymen”beamedwithmodestprideandresolvedtoenactWallaceandMontroseassoonaspossiblefortheircousin'sspecialbenefit. “Let'shaveagameoftag,”criedthePrince,swinginghimselfuptoabeamwithasoundingslaponStevie'sshoulder. Regardlessofhisgloves,Dandytoreafterhim,andtherestswarmedineverydirectionasifbentonbreakingtheirnecksanddislocatingtheirjointsasrapidlyaspossible. ItwasanewandastonishingspectacletoRose,freshfromaprimboarding-school,andshewatchedtheactiveladswithbreathlessinterest,thinkingtheiranticsfarsuperiortothoseofMops,thedeardepartedmonkey. Willhadjustcoveredhimselfwithglorybypitchingoffahighloftheadfirstandcomingupallright,whenPhebeappearedwithacloak,hood,andrubbers,alsoamessagefromAuntPlentythat“MissRosewastocomeindirectly.” “Allrightwe'llbringher!”answeredArchie,issuin