There were many rocky outcrops to the sides of the burn in this area and it didn’t take Algy very long to find what he was looking for: a deep cleft in the rock with a good overhang to keep the rain out. He pushed his bag of baubles as far back into the wee crevice as he could manage, and carefully readjusted the stalks of dry bracken and heather to cover the opening.

And then Algy flew up into the air: it was such a relief to be rid of the weight of that sack! He circled slowly for a few minutes, taking note of the shapes of the rocks and their position by the burn so that he would be able to find the spot again. He knew that one place could look very much like another in this landscape. But as soon as he felt confident that he would recognise the place when he returned, he set off towards the ridge. It wasn’t long until Christmas now, and he had to find a tree to hang his baubles on …

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