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Download Financial Institutions Instruments and Markets 7th Edition Viney Test Bank all chapters
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Chapter 07 - Test Bank
1. If investors _______ a company's shares, the _______ supply is likely to lead to a _______ in the share
price.
2. If a company's shares are expected to perform better than other companies in the same industry, there will
be _______ for the company shares and a ____ in the share price.
3. The approach that seeks to identify factors that are likely to influence the growth rate and future profits of a
company is called:
A. economic analysis.
B. factor analysis.
C. fundamental analysis.
D. technical analysis.
4. When an investor makes their investment decision based on a company's accounting ratios, they are using:
A. economic analysis.
B. factor analysis.
C. fundamental analysis.
D. technical analysis.
5. The investment approach that focuses on the underlying determinants of future profitability rather than on
past price movements of a company's stock is:
A. credit analysis.
B. fundamental analysis.
C. systems analysis.
D. technical analysis.
6. The investment approach that evaluates and interprets past share price movements is:
A. credit analysis.
B. technical analysis.
C. fundamental analysis.
D. systematic analysis.
7. In relation to fundamental analysis, which of the following is NOT a problem associated with rapid,
unsustainable economic growth?
8. The portion of the overall economy defined by the nature of a company's operations is called the:
A. economic component.
B. company component.
C. industry sector.
D. country sector.
9. The net record of a country's international earnings less its international payments is its:
A. capital account.
B. current account.
C. Gross Domestic Product.
D. gross national income.
10. In relation to a country's economy, the more a country imports and the worse the current account becomes,
the:
11. In relation to a country's economy, if a country's current account deteriorates, the government is likely to:
13. Writing down the value of a capital asset, reported as an expense, is called:
A. downgrading.
B. depreciation.
C. documentation.
D. reduction.
14. If there were an appreciation of the exchange rate of a local currency against the USD, then _____ from
_____ sales would be _____ than if the exchange rate had remained constant.
15. Investment analysts use a number of approaches in the analysis of fundamentals that may affect share
prices. Which of the following statements in relation to the bottom-up approach to share price analysis is
MOST correct? The bottom-up approach:
16. Investment analysts use a number of approaches in the analysis of fundamentals that may affect share
prices. Which of the following statements in relation to the top-down approach to share price analysis is
MOST correct? The top-down approach:
A. exchange rates.
B. interest rates.
C. rate of growth in international economies.
D. all of the given answers.
18. Firm-specific financial indicators used in fundamental analysis top-down approach are:
A. interest rates.
B. consumer confidence.
C. return on assets.
D. business cycle.
19. Which of the following is NOT a problem that may be associated with rapid, unsustainable growth in an
economy?
20 An investor seeks to compare the financial characteristics of four companies that are investment possibilities.
. Based solely on the data provided in the following ratios, which company would provide the lowest
investment risk?
A. Company A
B. Company B
C. Company C
D. Company D
21. The greater the degree of systematic risk, the:
23. An investor who buys a large number of shares from different companies and from many different
industries will:
24. According to modern portfolio theory, the _______ the degree of systematic risk, the _______ should be
the expected return.
A. smaller; greater.
B. greater; greater.
C. smaller; smaller.
D. greater; smaller.
25. The investment approach that focuses more on past price movements of a company's stock than on the
underlying determinants of future profitability is:
A. credit analysis.
B. fundamental analysis.
C. systems analysis.
D. technical analysis.
26. When investors use past share price movements to make their investment decisions, they are using:
A. economic analysis.
B. factor analysis.
C. fundamental analysis.
D. technical analysis.
27. Compared with technical analysis, fundamental analysis considers the:
A. accounting ratios.
B. forecasting a company's future profitability.
C. forecasting a company's technical ratios.
D. share price movements.
29. An important belief underlying the use of technical analysis techniques is that:
A. react rapidly to new information, and share market prices are determined by the interaction of demand
and supply.
B. react rapidly to new information, and security dealers provide liquidity.
C. react gradually to new information, and market prices are determined by the interaction of supply and
demand.
D. react gradually to new information, and security dealers provide liquidity.
31. An alternative approach to forecasting the behaviour of share prices is technical analysis. Which of the
following statements in relation to the approach taken by technical analysts is incorrect?
A. As a price pattern emerges, it is assumed that the historical pattern will re-emerge in full.
B. The stock markets are, at times, dominated by mass psychology.
C. Historical price patterns are of little use in forecasting future price movements.
D. Analysts typically adopt either a ‘technical' or a ‘fundamental' approach.
32. _______ is a mathematical technique used by technical analysts to clearly reveal all the trends in a price
series.
A. Averaging
B. Moving average
C. Price averaging
D. Series averaging
A. chart.
B. average time series.
C. moving average.
D. technical line.
34. In technical analysis, when the lower points of a rising price series are connected this is a:
35. Daily share-price data is given over a seven-day period for a company. Calculate the five-day moving
average over the period.
14 June: $6.75
15 June: $6.80
16 June: $6.94
17 June: $6.58
18 June: $6.23
21 June: $5.95
22 June: $5.80
36. When the share price series breaks through the moving average line from below, a technical analyst would
probably suggest it is a good time to:
38. When the share price series breaks through a flattening moving average line from above, a technical analyst
would probably suggest it is a good time to:
39. Once the actual price and moving average (MA) series are plotted on the same graph, buy and sell signals
are generated. So:
A. buy when the actual price series cuts the MA from below, especially if the MA has been flat or in a
gentle decline.
B. sell when the MA series is rising strongly and the price series cuts or touches the MA from above, but
then moves back above the MA after only a few observations.
C. sell when the MA flattens or declines after a steady rise, and the price series cuts the MA from above.
D. buy when the MA series is rising strongly and the price series cuts or touches the MA from above, but
then moves back above the MA after only a few observations.
41. In relation to technical analysis, what is the level above which the market finds it difficult to rise?
A. Trend channel
B. Resistance level
C. Support level
D. None of the given answers are correct
42. In technical analysis, a price level below which the market price is temporarily unlikely to fall is a:
A. trend channel.
B. resistance line.
C. support line.
D. trend line.
43. In technical analysis, a price level below which the market price is temporarily unlikely to rise is a:
A. trend channel.
B. resistance line.
C. support line.
D. trend line.
44. For technical analysts, the pattern formed by a series of price fluctuations characterised by rising bottoms
and horizontal tops is a/an:
A. ascending triangle.
B. symmetrical triangle.
C. descending triangle.
D. a pennant.
45. For technical analysts, the pattern formed by a series of price fluctuations composed with each top and
bottom smaller than its predecessor and with transaction volumes usually diminishing is a/an:
A. ascending triangle.
B. symmetrical triangle.
C. descending triangle.
D. pole.
46. For technical analysts, the pattern formed by three successive rallies with the second rally being greater
than the first or third, is called a:
A. symmetrical triangle.
B. head and shoulder pattern.
C. breakout.
D. triple top.
47. A support/resistance pattern plotted by chartists in the stock markets is the rectangle, which consists of
sideways price fluctuations contained within horizontal support and resistance levels. Which of the
following statements in relation to indicators given by support and resistance rectangles is incorrect?
A. Rectangles tend to be characterised by increasing volumes, except for a few days before the breakout
when there are strong decreases in volumes of trade in the share(s).
B. If the last bottom does not touch the support level (beginning the formation of an ascending triangle) and
if prices then rise rapidly on increasing volume, it is likely that there will be a topside breakout.
C. If the tops fail to reach resistance levels, beginning the formation of a descending triangle, a downside
breakout is likely.
D. When a break occurs from a rectangle, the extent of the breakout is likely to equal the height of the price
rectangle.
48. In relation to charting, an upward trend line connects the _______ points of a _______ price series, while a
downward trend connects the _______ points of a _______ price series.
49. The Elliot wave theory maintains that the bullish behaviour of the share market can be explained as:
50. In relation to share trading, buy and sell orders automatically triggered by rules entered into a computer
program are called:
51. In relation to share trading, a dedicated system that operates within an exchange allowing some institutional
investors to place large buy or sell orders without having to disclose the whole trade to the exchange are:
A. applications of high-speed supercomputers that can place thousands of orders in seconds and then
immediately cancel them.
B. some institutional investors being able to place large buy orders without having to disclose the whole
trade to the exchange.
C. pennants and flags patterns in very fast moving markets.
D. the trades of certain institutional investors that receive information from a stock exchange of incoming
orders before other traders.
A. is the most likely reason there was a stock market crash in October 1987.
B. occurs only in over-the-counter markets.
C. refers to computer-generated orders to buy or sell many shares at the same time.
D. has been abolished by order of the ASX.
54. One of the theories on the determination of, and change in the value of, shares and other securities is the
random walk hypothesis. Which of the following statements in relation to the random walk hypothesis is
correct?
A. The trend of new information into the market may be consistently good or consistently bad over time.
B. If the price of a share rose in one period, there is a higher probability that it will rise again in the next
period.
C. Share price reflects the share's intrinsic value, based on the latest information set relevant to current and
future prospects.
D. The history of previous price movements contains valuable information on likely future price
movements.
55. If a share price falls on four consecutive days of trading, share prices:
56. Which of the following statements regarding an efficient capital market is correct?
A. security prices are seldom far above or below their justified level.
B. share prices react quickly to new information.
C. investors will not make superior returns consistently.
D. All of the given answers are correct.
58. The weak form of the efficient market hypothesis asserts that:
A. the change in future share prices cannot be predicted from past share prices.
B. share prices adjust rapidly to new information contained in past prices or past data.
C. technical analysts cannot be expected to outperform the market.
D. all of the given answers are correct.
60. Strategies based on technical analysis are most likely to be profitable in a market that is regarded as:
61. The weak form of the efficient market hypothesis denies the use of:
62. At which level of market efficiency does the efficient market hypothesis support the technical analysis
approach to future share price determination?
A. Weak-form efficiency
B. Semi-strong form efficiency
C. Strong-form efficiency
D. None of the given answers
63. The semi-strong form of the efficient market hypothesis states that:
64. When investors cannot make superior profits on a continual basis based on past prices, public or private
information, the market is said to be:
A. weak-form efficient.
B. semi-strong form efficient.
C. strong-form efficient.
D. fundamentally efficient.
65. The strong form of the efficient market hypothesis states that:
66. Which group of investors is able to earn consistent superior profits if the financial markets are strong-form
efficient?
67. An investor finds that for a particular group of shares, large positive price changes are always followed by
large negative price changes. This finding violates:
A. Weak.
B. Semi-strong.
C. Strong.
D. Informational.
69. If you believe that share prices reflect all relevant information, including publicly available information,
which form of the efficient market hypothesis do you believe in?
A. Weak.
B. Semi-strong.
C. Strong.
D. Informational.
70. If you believe that share prices reflect all relevant information including information that is available only
to insiders, which form of the efficient market hypothesis do you believe in?
A. Weak.
B. Semi-strong.
C. Strong.
D. Informational.
71. Proponents of the efficient market hypothesis assert that technical analysts:
72. When new information becomes public in the market, evidence suggests that:
A. transaction costs will erase any benefit of trading on the new information.
B. insiders will be the only investors to gain.
C. it takes at least three trading days for share prices to adjust.
D. share prices adjust rapidly to the new information.
73. It may be argued that share prices on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) reflect all publicly
available, relevant information regarding listed companies, and therefore superior profits cannot be made
by an investor using publicly available information. Based on the above contention, which of the following
statements best describes the informational efficiency of the ASX?
A. Strong-form efficiency.
B. Semi-strong form efficiency.
C. Weak-form efficiency.
D. Random walk efficiency.
74. Research indicates that the correlation coefficient between successive days' share price changes is:
A. indicates that one should not randomly select managed portfolios managed by professional portfolio
managers.
B. indicates that historical performance is a good indicator of future performance.
C. indicates that professional management provides investors with superior market returns.
D. indicates the majority of professional portfolio managers outperform the market.
A. If the share market follows a random walk, price changes should be highly correlated.
B. A random walk for share price changes is inconsistent with observed patterns in price changes.
C. If the share market is weak-form efficient, the share prices follow a random walk
D. All of the given answers are correct.
78. In relation to behavioural finance, if an investor is influenced to follow other investors into certain
investment opportunities, this is called:
A. trading noise.
B. herding instinct.
C. framing behaviour.
D. disposition effect.
79. In relation to behavioural finance, if an investor is influenced by the manner in which an investment
opportunity is presented this is called:
A. trading noise.
B. herding instinct.
C. framing behaviour.
D. disposition effect.
80. In relation to behavioural finance, if investors do not seek to maximise returns on investments but are quite
willing to accept a lesser outcome or return, it is called:
A. trading noise.
B. herding instinct.
C. framing behaviour.
D. heuristic behaviour.
True False
83. Fundamental analysis top-down approach considers how the directors of the company affect its share
performance.
True False
84. The bottom-up approach to fundamental analysis considers the impact of forecast changes in systematic
market variables.
True False
85. The rate of growth in major international economies can have a strong impact on expected performance of
local companies within a domestic economy.
True False
86. Historical growth trends in developed countries suggest sustainable long-term growth is in the range of 3
and 4% per annum.
True False
87. High levels of economic growth in developing countries may not be sustainable in the long term and may
lead to depreciation of those countries' exchange rates and rises in interest rates.
True False
88. With the top-down approach to fundamental analysis, the balance of payments current account deficit is not
considered because it is a country factor.
True False
89. Firms that conduct business in a country's domestic market may be affected by a fall in the local exchange
rate that leads to an increase in the rate of inflation.
True False
90. A limitation of fundamental analysis is that forecasting using fundamentals can suggest the market is
overvalued but does not forecast the timing of the downturn.
True False
91. When the moving average (MA) series is rising strongly and the share price series cuts or touches the MA
from below, this represents a sell signal for technical analysts.
True False
93. Compare the two main approaches to fundamental analysis: top-down and bottom-up.
94. What is a moving average model? Explain how it is used in technical analysis.
95. Charting is a type of technical analysis. Explain the process in relation to forecasting share price
movements.
96. What is program trading in relation to the share market? Discuss any impact on share price movements.
Chapter 07 - Test Bank Key
1. If investors _______ a company's shares, the _______ supply is likely to lead to a _______ in the share
price.
2. If a company's shares are expected to perform better than other companies in the same industry, there
will be _______ for the company shares and a ____ in the share price.
3. The approach that seeks to identify factors that are likely to influence the growth rate and future profits
of a company is called:
A. economic analysis.
B. factor analysis.
C. fundamental analysis.
D. technical analysis.
Difficulty: Easy
Est time: <1 minute
Learning Objective: 07-01 Identify and interpret economic variables that impact on share price movements within the context of the top-down approach to fundamental
analysis.
Section: Introduction
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rugs and skins, but not before he had thrown one of the heaviest of these
over Lord Raglan’s loins, kissed his soft snout, and wished him good-night.
A few minutes after both boys, huddled close together for warmth, had
said their prayers, and were sound asleep.
Under circumstances such as these human beings slumber well. When
Sandie awoke, for a time he could remember nothing. But gradually things
came back to his memory. It was pitch dark, however; the lamp had burned
out, so he lit the other, and finding by his old silver watch that it was past
nine o’clock, he knew it must be broad daylight out of doors, so he awoke
Willie.
An attempt was now made to force their way through the snow, but
having nothing to dig with, this was soon abandoned, the terrible truth
forcing itself upon them that they were as much lost as miners buried in a
mine, and cut away from their fellows. They breakfasted on a little snow,
which, at all events, refreshed them somewhat. They must live in hope of
being dug out.
. . . . . .
When the fearful blizzard broke over Kilbuie, great fears were
entertained for the safety of the boys, but it was hoped they had stayed at
Belhaven manse all night. The storm lasted all night, but abated at
daybreak, and then Jamie Duncan and Mr. M‘Crae himself started to ride
each on a strong cart-horse to the manse. They found the road almost
impassable, for some of the wreaths were eight feet high.
But they reached the manse at last, only to suffer grief and
disappointment.
The country near to the minister’s house was more densely populated,
and it was not difficult to get up a small but strong search party, and once
more they returned along the road, Mackenzie himself accompanying them,
their object now being to find a trail or cue.
Poor Tyro, Sandie’s dog, seemed to know exactly what the matter was,
and exerted himself as much as any one.
All along the route the snow-banks at each side were searched, and
probed with long poles, and every hollow into which the sleigh might have
fallen was also examined.
They had now advanced about three miles on the road, but so particular
and careful had the search been, that it was already two by the clock. And
now they all assembled for luncheon, and soon after the search was
resumed.
Another mile was slowly got over, but without success. Where could
they have gone to? It seemed as if the earth had opened and swallowed
them. Hope was now beginning to fade and die in the hearts of the
searchers. If the boys were under a bank of snow somewhere, they could
hardly now be alive. Besides, the day was far spent. It would soon be dark,
then all work must be abandoned. But see! what aileth Tyro? He has left the
main road, and is galloping in a straight line towards the beetling rocks,
yapping or barking every now and then, with his nose on the ground as if
chasing a rabbit.
Hope springs fresh in every heart!
The men shoulder their poles and spades and follow the dog.
Straight as the bee flies he leads them to the snowed-up entrance to
Bruce’s cavern, and here Tyro begins to tear and scratch at the snow in the
most frantic way.
“To work, men,” cries M‘Crae. “Dead or alive, the boys are inside the
cave.”
And the men did work too, as hard as ever men worked in life.
The snow, however, was powdery, and difficult to dig, and it must have
been fifteen feet deep if a single inch.
Willie and Sandie had both fallen into an uneasy kind of slumber, worn
out with cold and hunger, when they were aroused by hearing Raglan neigh.
Indeed it seemed more of a happy laugh than a neigh.
“Hee—haw—hm-m-m—haw—hm-m-m!” Over and over again too.
For his quick ear could catch sounds outside long before those of the
boys.
Presently, however, a little ray of light streamed into their utter darkness
through the awful bank of snow, and they could hear voices without.
Before the opening was a foot wide Tyro came dashing through, and the
wild excitement and delight of the poor animal it would indeed be difficult
to describe.
The boys shouted now as well as their voices would permit them. Raglan
neighed once more.
Wider and wider grew the opening, and in ten minutes more Sandie was
pressed in his father’s arms.
The tears were streaming down the good farmer’s face, and down the
minister’s as well.
“Thank God!” was all he could say, and fervently indeed did every one
in that group of uncouth-looking men add the little word, “Amen!”
CHAPTER I
CHAPTER II
The usual chorus of hip, hips, and Sandie was glad when at last, with his
friend Willie, he found himself outside the gates and able to breathe more
freely.
“Well,” said Willie, “you know how friendly I feel towards you, so I’ll
say nothing. Let me see,” he continued; “it is only six; you’ll just have time
to go home and change, and write your letter, and be at our place at half-
past seven to dinner.”
“But really——”
“Nonsense! your coming, and there is an end to it. I’ll go with you to
your attic and have a cup of old Mrs. Gully’s excellent tea. I’ll read while
you write and dress. I shall thus make sure of you.”
So home to Sandie’s attic went the two students, and when old Mrs.
Gully heard the news, she was so joyously excited that she almost cried.
“To think,” she said, “that I should hae a real leevin’ first bursar in my
attic! Eh! sirs, it’s a high, high honour. But noo for your tay, for ye maun be
famished.”
. . . . . .
That evening spent at the Provost’s house was like many others, very
shortsome and pleasant, and even very merry. A great cloud had rolled off
the firmament of Sandie’s existence. His mental sky was clear. The future
was all bright and hopeful, and he was happy. But his happiness was not
permitted to last unalloyed all that evening. He had bidden his friends good-
night, and Willie and he had walked up on to the Castle-gate to feast their
eyes on the four long chains of light that, starting from here at right angles,
go sweeping along Union Street and King Street, the houses on each side
looking like mansions of marble under the stars, now so sweetly shining.
As they still stood looking and admiring, Sandie humming a song the
while, their attention was attracted to a little crowd like a procession that
had just rounded the corner of Market Street, and were coming onwards in
their direction. They went straight away to meet it, and soon found that the
centre of the crowd consisted of four policemen bearing a stretcher, on
which lay a form, still in death, and covered over with a black cloth.
Willie sought explanations from some of the crowd. All they could tell
him was that the body had been taken out of the harbour. It was that of a
young man and supposed to be a student.
The body was taken to the station and to the dead-house.
“I think,” said Willie to a superintendent, “that I and my friend—we are
both students—can identify the body, if it be a student, for either he or I
know them all.”
“Well, come along, lads,” said the officer.
He led them to the gloomy room, and still more gloomy table, whereon
the body lay.
With scant ceremony the officer pulled off the cloth.
Then with a stifled cry of alarm, Willie shrank back, clapping his hand to
his brow.
“My God!” he exclaimed, “it is poor Herbert Grant!”
“You know him, then?”
“Oh, well, and all his history. He was a poor Highland student who came
down to compete, but failed.”
“Do you know the address of his parents? It is evidently a case of
suicide. Here is a letter we found on him addressed to his mother and father,
but not directed. In the agony of his mind the poor boy must have forgotten
that.”
“I do know their address.”
Then Willie took the letter, which was somewhat blotted from
immersion and subsequent drying, and read as follows:—
“Dear Father and Mother,—Only a line in my agony can I write at all
at all. But to be sure it is perhaps just as well. I have failed to take a bursary.
When your eyes shall fall on these lines I shall be dead evermore. Don’t
sorrow for me whatever. I shall be quieter and better in the cold, cold grave.
“I never could face you after failure, and I never could face the taunts of
my brothers and my cousins. Forgive me! forgive me! Good-bye for
evermore whatever.—Your dead boy,
Herbert.”
Willie Munro was naturally a tender-hearted boy, and this strange last
letter, with the sight of the calm dead face lying there as if Herbert but slept,
so wrought upon his feelings that he threw himself into a rude chair, and,
with his hands to his face, wept long and bitterly.
Even the sturdy superintendent of police was visibly affected, and tried
to console the boy, but for a time he only wept the more.
He started up at last, and that suddenly too; he dashed the tears aside.
“Come, Sandie, come,” he said, and left the dead-house.
In the outer office he addressed an envelope to Herbert’s parents. The
very act of doing so seemed to restore him somewhat. He bade the officer
good-night more cheerfully, and with Sandie walked out into the night and
the starlight.
. . . . . .
“Sandie,” said Willie next morning, “you’re going home, aren’t you?”
“Yes, certainly, to-day too.”
“Well, I think I could do with another day or two in the country. I want
to get out from under the shadow of that dead-house, Sandie, away from the
memory of that awful sleeping face.”
“My dear friend,” replied Sandie, “I had meant to ask you to come,
though I wasn’t sure you would accept. But now I am delighted.”
. . . . . .
There were several days to be spent in the Deeside Highlands before the
classes should assemble for the work of the winter, and right pleasantly
were they spent now by our heroes and their friend Mackenzie. The weather
was most delightful, cold, crisp, and clear, with bright starry nights and
dancing aurora. The aurora is here called the Merry Dancers, and right well
does it deserve the name.
Long spears of light that meet, and mix, and clash in such a way as quite
to bewilder the senses. It is in, the following way Burns the poet talks about
pleasures—
“But pleasures are like poppies spread,
You seize the flower, its bloom is shed;
Or like the snowfall in the river,
One moment white, then melts for ever;
Or like the Borealis race
That flit ere ye can point their place.”
It was cold work fishing now, but they did spend one forenoon by a trout
stream-side, and, much to his joy and pride, Willie caught no less than three
handsome trout. He duly entered the fact in his note-book, and
henceforward he said he thought he should be quite justified in dubbing
himself a member of the gentle craft and a disciple of Walton’s.
But it was glorious weather for walking, and together they climbed some
of the highest hills in the neighbourhood, the view spread out beneath them,
wintry aspect though it was, being sometimes magnificent. The many
streams winding out and in through snow-clad glens, and woods and wilds,
the rocks and hills, the black solemn river itself, the cliffs above it, and the
weird-like forests of pines—the whole formed a scene that was impressive
in the extreme. “That tall sugar-loaf mountain to the east,” said Mackenzie,
“some day we will climb. It towers half-a-mile above the level of the sea,
and the view obtained from its summit is awe-striking and magnificent.
Some day, Willie, when, as the song says,
we will climb that hill. There is a romance attached to it that few are aware
of. The mountain is called Benachie, or the Hill of the Mist, and many
hundreds of years ago a wild Highland chieftain had a castle or stronghold
on the very summit of it. He also had a castle below here, that old ruin that
you can just see peeping round the corner of the pine wood. He owned all
the land you can see to the east of us here. I am sorry to tell you this chief
was a bad man. His constant habit was to abduct young ladies from the
country of his hereditary enemy, just beyond the Don, and convey them to
his fortress on the mountain; and never were they seen again. Well, it came
to pass that a wealthy laird across the water was to be married to a beautiful
young lady, the daughter of the chieftain, and the chief of Benachie’s son,
who was now of age, thought he would follow in his father’s footsteps. So
he made a raid across the Don one dark night, attacked the castle and
carried off the daughter, taking her right to the stronghold on the summit of
the mountain. When he heard of it, the young lady’s intended husband
could not contain himself with rage. He collected a force with which he
crossed the Don, and commenced laying waste the country with fire and
sword. But his triumph was short-lived, for Benachie came down in force.
Not only did he hurl the invader backwards into the dark rolling Don, but—
oh! pitiful to relate!—he crossed the river and commenced an
indiscriminate slaughter of young and old, while every cottage was fired,
the chief slain, and his castle laid in ruins.[5]
“I do not tell you this story, boys, for the sake of sensation, but that you
may thank Heaven in your hearts, we do not live in such dark and terrible
times.”
CHAPTER III