Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER II. A MOMENTOUS DISCUSSION. The Hon. Eric Trevanion vas three months my junior as regards age, but there was little to choose between us in all other particulars save one. That one was his physique. And, considering that he stood six feet three in his stockings, and his breadth and strength were proportionate, it is not to be wondered at that I came off second-best in this respect. A better specimen of an Englishman than Eric, taking him all round, it would have been difficult to find. Clear-cut features, hair and eyes of a chestnut- brown colour, and a frank and open expression? these had my friend in common with his three brothers; and as for his accomplishments, when I say that he was a dead shot, an indefatigable deerstalker, a bold rider to hounds, as good a swimmer as Byron is said to have been, and had as much coolness, courage, and determination as any one I ever knew?you should have a pretty good idea of Eric. As may be supposed, he was a general favourite in the county. He had a word, a joke, or a quotation from his favourite poets for every one; andhis bright and cheery presence was, I am told, sadly missed during the periods he was absent. In short, he was just such a man as one would care to have as a companion when in a tight place; for he could be relied upon to stand by one in every emergency. He was standing on the steps of the terrace in front of Loch-Eyt Castle?a hoary old pile dating from the time of Harlaw?when Tray and I came up; and he had with him his brother Harold and a stranger. My dog was not long in announcing our arrival. He had been a present to me from Eric, who had named him after the harper's " poor dog Tray " of Thomas Campbell; and I verily believe he had as great an affection for his late master as for his present ...