anade on Castle Hill。 Rank after rank of scarlet coats； swinging kilts and sporrans； and plumed bonnets appeared。 The sun flashed back from rifle barrels and bayonets and from countless bright buttons。
A number of the older laddies ran up the climbing street。 Mr。 Traill called Bobby back and； with a last grip of Glenormiston's hand； set off across the bridge。 To the landlord the world seemed a brave place to be living in； the fabric of earth and sky and human society to be woven of kindness。 Having urgent business of buying supplies in the markets at Broughton and Lauriston； Mr。 Traill put Bobby inside the kirkyard gate and hurried away to get into his everyday clothing。 After dinner； or tea； he promised himself the pleasure of an hour at the lodge； to tell Mr。 Brown the wonderful news； and to show him Bobby's braw collar。
When； finally； he was left alone； Bobby trotted around the kirk； to assure himself that Auld Jock's grave was unmolested。 There he turned on his back； squirmed and rocked on the crocuses； and tugged at the unaccustomed collar。 His inverted struggles； low growlings and furry contortions set the wrens to scolding and the redbreasts to making nervous inquiries。 Much nestbuilding； tuneful courtship； and masculine blustering was going on； and there was little police duty for Bobby。 After a time he sat up on the table…tomb； pensively。 With Mr。 Brown confined； to the lodge； and Mistress Jeanie in close attendance upon him there； the kirkyard was a lonely place for a sociable little dog； and a soft； spring day given over to brooding beside a beloved grave； was quite too heart…breaking a thing to contemplate。 Just for cheerful occupation Bobby had another tussle with the collar。 He pulled it so far under his thatch that no one could have guessed that he had a collar on at all； when he suddenly righted himself and scampered away to the gate。
The music grew louder and came nearer。 The first of the route…marching that the Castle garrison practiced on occasional； bright spring mornings was always a delightful surprise to the small boys and dogs of Edinburgh。 Usually the soldiers went down High Street and out to Portobello on the sea。 But a regiment of tough and wiry Highlanders often took； by preference； the mounting road to the Pentlands to get a whiff of heather in their nostrils。
On they came； band playing； colors flying； feet moving in unison with a march； across the viaduct bridge into Greyfriars Place。 Bobby was up on the wicket； his small； energetic body quivering with excitement from his muzzle to his tail。 If Mr。 Traill had been there he would surely have caught the infection； thrown care to this sweet April breeze for once； and taken the wee terrier for a run on the Pentland braes。 The temptation was going by when a preoccupied lady； with a sheaf of Easter lilies on her sable arm； opened the wicket。 Her ample Victorian skirts swept right over the little dog； and when he emerged there was the gate slightly ajar。 Widening the aperture with nose and paws； Bobby was off； skirmishing at large on the rear and flanks of the troops； down the Burghmuir。
It may never have happened； in the years since Auld Jock died and the farmer of Cauldbrae gave up trying to keep him on the hills； that Bobby； had gone so far back on this once familiar road； and he may not have recognized it at first； for the highways around Edinburgh were everywhere much alike。 This one alone began to climb again。 Up； up it toiled； for two weary miles； to the hilltop toll…bar of Fairmilehead； and there the sounds and smells that made it different from other roads began。
Five miles out of the city the halt was called； and the soldiers flung themselves on the slope。 Many experiences of route…marching had taught Bobby that there was an interval of rest before the return； so； with his nose to the ground； he started up the brae on a pilgrimage to old shrines。 just as in his puppyhood days； at Auld Jock's heels； there was much shouting of men； barking of collies； and bleating of sheep all the way up。 Once he had to leave the road until a driven flock had passed。 Behind the sheep walked an old laborer in hodden…gray； woolen bonnet； and shepherd's two…fold plaid； with a lamb in the pouch of it。 Bobby trembled at the apparition； sniffed at the hob…nailed boots； and then； with drooped head and tail； trotted on up the slope。
Men and dogs were all out on the billowy pastures； and the farm…house of Cauldbrae lay on the level terrace； seemingly deserted and steeped in memories。 A few moments before； a tall lassie had come out to listen to the military music。 A couple of hundred feet below； the coats of the soldiers looked to her like poppies scattered on the heather。 At the top of the brae the wind was blowing a cold gale； so the maidie went up again； and around to a bit of tangled garden on the sheltered side of the house。 The 〃wee lassie Elsie〃 was still a bairn in short skirts and braids； who lavished her soft heart； as yet； on briar bushes and daisies。
Bobby made a tour of the sheepfold； the cowyard and byre； and he lingered behind the byre； where Auld Jock had played with him on Sabbath afternoons。 He inspected the dairy； and the poultry…house where hens were sitting on their nests。 By and by he trotted around the house and came upon the lassie； busily clearing winter rubbish from her posie bed。 A dog changes very little in appearance； but in eight and a half years a child grows into a different person altogether。 Bobby barked politely to let this strange lassie know that he was there。 In the next instant he knew her； for she whirled about and； in a kind of glad wonder； cried out：
〃Oh； Bobby！ hae ye come hame？ Mither； here's ma ain wee Bobby！〃 For she had never given up the hope that this adored little pet would some day return to her。
〃Havers； lassie； ye're aye seein' Bobby i' ilka Hielan' terrier； an' there's mony o' them aboot。〃
The gude…wife looked from an attic window in the steep gable； and then hurried down。 〃Weel； noo； ye're richt； Elsie。 He wad be comin' wi' the regiment frae the Castle。 Bittie doggies an' laddies are fair daft aboot the soldiers。 Ay； he's bonny； an' weel cared for； by the ordinar'。 I wonder gin he's still leevin' i' the grand auld kirkyaird。〃
Wary of her remembered endearments； Bobby kept a safe distance from the maidie； but he sat up and lolled his tongue； quite willing to pay her a friendly visit。 From that she came to a wrong conclusion： 〃Sin' he cam' o' his ain accord he's like to bide。〃 Her eyes were blue stars。
〃I wadna be coontin' on that； lassie。 An' I wadna speck a door on 'im anither time。 Grin he wanted to get oot he'd dig aneath a floor o' stane。 Leuk at that； noo！ The bonny wee is greetin' for Auld Jock。〃
It was true； for； on entering the kitchen； Bobby went straight to the bench in the corner and lay down flat under it。 Elsie sat beside him； just as she had done of old。 Her eyes overflowed so in sympathy that the mother was quite distracted。 This would not do at all。
〃Lassie； are ye no' rememberin' Bobby was fair fond o' moor…hens' eggs fried wi' bits o' cheese？ He wullna be gettin' thae things； an' it wad be maist michty； noo； gin ye couldna win the bittie dog awa' frae the reekie auld toon。 Gang oot wi' 'im an' rin on the brae an' bid 'im find the nests aneath the whins。〃
In a moment they were out on the heather； and it seemed； indeed； as if Bobby might be won。 He frisked and barked at Elsie's heels； chased rabbits and flushed the grouse； and when he ran into a peat…darkened tarp； rimmed with moss； he had such a cold and splashy swim as quite to give a little dog a distaste for warm； soapy water in a claes tub。 He shook and ran himself dry； and he raced the laughing child until they both dropped panting on the wind…rippled heath。 Then he hunted on the ground under the gorse for those nests that had a dozen or more eggs in them。 He took just one from each in his mouth； as Auld Jock had taught him to do。 On the kitchen hearth he ate the savory meal with much satisfaction and polite waggings。 But when the bugle sounded from below to form ranks； he pricked his drop ears and started for the door。
Before he knew what had happened he was inside the poultry…house。 In another instant he was digging frantically in the soft earth under the door。 When the lassie lay down across the crack he stopped digging； in consternation。 His sense of smell told him what it was that shut out the strip of light； and a bairn's soft body is not a proper object of attack for a little dog； no matter how desperate the emergency。 There was no time to be lost； for the drums began to beat the march。 Having to get out very quickly； Bobby did a forbidden thing： swiftly and noisily he dashed around the dark place； and there arose such wild squawkings and rushings of wings as to bring the gude…wife out of the house in alarm。
〃Lassie； I canna hae the bittie dog in wi the broodin' chuckies！〃
She flung the door wide。 Bobby shot through； and into Elsie's outstretched arms。 She held to him desperately； while he twisted and struggled and strained away； and presently something shining worked into view； through the disordered thatch about his neck。 The mother had come to the help of the child； and it was she who read the inscription on the brazen plate aloud。
〃Preserve us a'！ Lassie； he's been tak'n by the Laird Provost an' gien the name o' the auld kirkyaird。 He's an ower grand doggie。 Ma puir bairnie； dinna greet so sair！〃 For the little girl suddenly released the wee Highlander and sobbed on her mother's shoulder。
〃He isna ma ain Bobby ony mair！〃 She 〃couldna thole〃 to watch him as he tumbled down the brae。
On the outward march； among the many dogs and laddies that had followed the soldiers； Bobby escaped notice。 But most of these had gone adventuring in Swanston Dell； to return to the city by the gorge of Leith Water。 Now； traveling three miles to the soldiers' one； scampering in wide circles over the fields； swimming burns； scrambling under hedges； chasing whaups into piping cries； barking and louping in pure exuberance of spirits； many eyes looked upon him admiringly； and discontented mouths turned upward at the corners。 It is not the least of a little dog's missions in life to communicate his own irresponsib