, as soon as the news of the new master's expected
advent had come, the matrons of Number Nine had organised a
housecleaning campaign in the school. Store Thompson's wife, that
queen of housekeepers, headed the expedition against dirt, and even the
minister's wife took part. The former lady had long declared that the
condition of the schoolhouse was clean ridic'l'us, and now demanded
that something be done to better it, for as the new master was coming
from the Captain's he was sure to be a gentleman, and most like would
be terrible tidy.

So the army of housekeepers had charged down upon the schoolhouse, and
such a washing and cleansing and renovating as took place had certainly
never been paralleled except when the spring winds and waters came
swirling down the Oro hills. The poor little building was scarcely
recognisable when it emerged from its baptism of soapy water and
whitewash. The big girls added an artistic touch by decorating the
spotless walls with cedar boughs, until the place smelled as sweet as
the swamps of the Oro; and to crown all, the minister presented it with
a fine picture of Queen Victoria to be hung above the master's desk.

And this was the immaculate condition of the place where, when his
dinner was finished, Scotty's roving eye sought something upon which to
work off his burning indignation.

It had always been the custom heretofore in Number Nine to employ the
noon recess tearing round the room in a cloud of dust, yelling,
throwing ink and breaking furniture. But to-day the awe of the new
master had had a restraining influence, and most of the wilder spirits
had betaken themselves to an outdoor campaign. So there were only a
few of the smaller pupils and the larger girls grouped round the stove
when Scotty started his new enterprise. The cedar wreath above the
door was quite dry and rather dusty and offered a fine field for a
unique exploit. Lighting a splinter at the stove, he set fire to the
garland, allowed the flames to mount up, and just as they threatened to
get beyond his control, beat them out with his cap. The girls shrieked
in horror; Betty Lauchie screamed that he was a wretch, and the
minister himself would be after him, and Biddy Murphy vowed she'd pull
every hair of his worthless head out for him if he tried it again. But
Scotty was joyously reckless and quite beyond fear of even Miss Murphy.

When Dan returned from the slaughter of the Philistines, who lived over