d thankful!" said Watty with sparkling eyes.

"But," continued Mr Wilkins, with a look of profound gravity, "at
present I happen to be troubled with a great difficulty."

"What's that?" asked his little son, with a ready sympathy that was
natural to him, and which his recent experiences had rendered much more
powerful.

"I find the nature of my duties too much for me," replied Mr Wilkins
with a peculiar smile, "and it is almost impossible that I can get along
without a clever, honest, intelligent clerk, or, shall we say,
secretary--a character that is not easily found in these degenerate
days. Can you recommend one, Watty?"

"O yes," cried the youth, springing up and seizing his father's hand in
both of his; "you mean _me_! Don't you, now? You _can't_ get on
without me."

Watty felt inclined to dance a hornpipe, but he sat down instead, and,
covering his face with his hands, burst into tears of joy. Being a
tender-hearted man, Mr Wilkins could not help joining him, but in a
moderate degree. We will leave them thus engaged, merely remarking that
if the act was a weakness, it nevertheless seemed to do them a world of
good.

After a considerable time had elapsed, Philosopher Jack left the Border
cottage one day, went up to town, and presented himself at his old
lodgings to Mrs Niven. That lady's feelings, under the influence of
surprise, had a tendency, as we have shown, to lay her flat on the
floor. But the faithful Peggy had come to understand her tendencies,
and was usually too much for her. When her old lodger made his
appearance in her parlour, Mrs Niven exhibited symptoms which caused
Peggy to glide swiftly forward and receive her in her arms, whence she
was transferred to an easy-chair.

Recovering, she gave Jack what, in the circumstances, was a hearty
welcome.

"Losh me, laddie, ye'll be the death o' me!"

"I hope not, Mrs Niven," said Jack, laughing, as he shook her hand
heartily and sat down, "for my own sake as well as yours; because I have
come to take my old room if it is vacant."

"Yer auld room, Maister Jack!" exclaimed the bewildered woman.

"Yes, if it is not already occupied."

"The yin wi' the reeky lum and the view o' chimbley-pots frae the
wundy?"

"The same. I hope I can have it, for I'm going to college again, and
I've an affection for the old place, despite the smoky chimney and the
cans on the cats' parade."

"Yer jokin', Maister Jack."

"Indeed I am not, Mrs Niven."