arply clipping off his
words stamped him as hopelessly "stuck-up"; and Dan Murphy reported
with derisive joy that he had worn gloves to school, a weakness of
which no one who called himself a man would be guilty. Besides all
this, he had obtained his position through Captain Herbert; indeed, he
had been a close friend of the Captain when they lived in Toronto, it
was rumoured, and he probably belonged to the aristocracy, who were
hated of Scotty's soul. On the other hand, he wasn't an Englishman,
for his name was Archibald Monteith, that was one thing in his favour;
but he stood for order and good behaviour, and the young man was
arrayed against all such.

The new master himself was quietly taking note of his surroundings. He
had been thoroughly informed of the bad character of Number Nine, both
by Captain Herbert and the trustees, not to speak of the unsolicited
advice and information that had been pouring in upon him ever since his
arrival. Upon the first night of his stay at Store Thompson's, a burly
man with a great bushy head and beard had come suddenly upon him; and
after a warm handshake and welcome had given him absolute power in the
matter of dealing with his family.

"You lay it onto my Danny," was the generous admonition. "Sure, the
young spalpeen's mad wid the foolish goin's on, an' it's a latherin' he
needs ivery day. You mind an' lay it onto Danny!"

Quite as cordial but more ominous had been the advice proffered by
Gabby Johnny Thompson. In his capacity of Secretary-Treasurer of the
School Board that gentleman felt it incumbent upon him to inform the
novice of the unsounded depths of iniquity he had to deal with in
Number Nine. His darkest hints related to "yon ill piece o' Big
Malcolm MacDonald's." A scandalous young deil he was, and Mr. Monteith
would have to keep an eye on him, for him and yon young Papish of a
Murphy were a bad pair. It was young Scot Malcolm who had nearly
burned the school down, over McAllister's head; yes, and would have
burned up old McAllister, too, without a thought, he was that thrawn
and ill.

Monteith was regarding with deep interest the owner of this evil
reputation. He was a rare reader of character, and understood at once
the nature of Scotty's malady. His man's frame and boy's face, his
keen, bright, inquiring eyes, and the signs of abounding life, all
fully explained the cause of the trouble. The schoolmaster found
something irresistibly attractive abou