be the proud wee lassie."

"Little Polly Craig will be getting it, o' course. Who chose the
presents?"

"I'm thinking it was the Domine and the schoolmaster's wife."

"Then they would be knowing wha' they were buying for?"

"That goes without the saying. I didna hear onyone say the doll was
for Polly Craig."

"Nor I, but Polly's mother hasna been to hold, nor to bind, anent the
infant's progress. The hale village is weary o' the story o' Polly's
remarkable intimacy wi' her alphabet and spelling. The bairn may be a'
her mither says, but I'm thinking she's getting her abilities too
aerly to be reliable. Weel, then, who gets the next prize?"

"Willie Tamsen."

"I dinna ken the Tamsens."

"They're nice folk, from the south o' Fife. Willie is seven years
auld, or thereby. He's clever, the schoolmaster says, in figures and
geography, and weel-behaved, and quiet-like. The Domine says he's
first in his catechism class, and vera attentive to a' that concerns
his lessons--a good little lad, wi' an astonishing power o' ken in
him."

"Weel, what will you gie sae remarkable a bairn?"

"A gold guinea."

"A gold guinea! I ne'er heard o' such wild extravagance. It's fair
sinfu'. Whate'er will a lad o' seven years auld do wi' a guinea? Buy
sweeties wi' it. I dinna think the Domine can sanction a bit o'
nonsense like that."

"I'm maist sure the Domine gave the guinea out o' his ain pocket. The
Tamsens are vera poor, and the laddie is the warst-dressed lad i' the
village, and he is to go and get a nice suit o' claes for himsel' wi'
it. The Domine knew what he was doing. The laddie will be twice as
bright, when he gets claes for his little arms and legs."

"Weel, I hae naething against Willie Tamsen. He never meddled wi' my
flowers, or stole my berries. I hope he'll get the claes. And there
was to be three prizes?"

"Ay, one for the lads and lasses from eight to eleven years old, that
takes in a large pairt o' the school. The bigger lads and lasses will
come in the autumn, when the herrin' hae been, and gane."

"I'm not asking anything anent that class. I dinna envy the
schoolmaster and mistress that will hae them to manage. They'll hae
their hands fu', or my name isna Margot Ruleson. Wha will get the
third prize?"

"Our Jamie. And he has weel won it. Jamie isna a lad o' the common
order. The Domine says he'll mak' the warld sit up and listen to him,
when he comes to full stature."

"The Domine is as silly anent the