iends had recovered themselves they buzzed round
the two, who were following the Dowbiggins with an admirable affectation
of sedateness, but received no satisfaction. Speug contented himself
with warning off a dozen henchmen who had fallen in by him with the idea
of forming a mock procession, and then giving them a wink of
extraordinary suggestiveness. But Nestie was more communicative, and
explained the situation at length----

"Peter was a b-botanist all the time, but he did not know it; he fairly
loves g-geranniums, and is sorry that he wasted his time on k-kites and
snowballs. We are going to himprove our m-minds, and we don't want you
to trouble us." But this was not knowledge.

It remained a mystery, and when Jock and Bauldie tailed off at the
bridge, and Speug, halfway across, turned round and winked again, it was
with regret that they betook themselves to their kites, and more than
once they found themselves casting longing glances to the distant woods,
where Speug was now pursuing the study of botany.

"Bauldie," said Jock suddenly, as the kites hung motionless in the sky,
"this is weel enough, but tak' my word for't it's nothing to the game
they're playin' in yon woods."

"Div ye mean howkin' geranniums? for I canna see muckle game in that: I
would as soon dig potatoes." Bauldie, though a man of his hands, had a
prosaic mind and had little imagination.

"Geranniums! ger---- havers, that's no' what Speug is after, you bet.
He's got a big splore (exploit) on hand or he never crossed Muirtown
Brig in such company. Man, Bauldie, I peety Byles, I do. Peter'ill lose
the lot o' them in the woods or he'ill stick them in a bog, or"--and
Jock could hardly hold his kite--"what div ye say to this, man? he'ill
row them over to Woody Island and leave them there till Monday, with
naething but bread and milk and the net to sleep in." And the joy of
Jock and Bauldie at this cheerful prospect was rather a testimony to
their faith in Peter's varied ability than a proof of sympathy with
their fellow-creatures.

If Speug was playing the fox he gave no sign on the way to the woods,
for he was a model of propriety and laid himself out to be agreeable. He
showed an unwonted respect for the feelings of the Dowbiggins, so that
these two young gentlemen relaxed the vigilant attention with which they
usually regarded Speug, and he was quite affable with Cosh. As for the
master, Peter simply placed himself at Mr. Byles's service, ex