ract
woman's face they sobered and looked sad.

"I must go," she said, "and God bless you, Anna," and Anna replied, "God
bless you kindly, dear."

When Anna went behind the screen Jamie grabbed her and pressed her
closely to him. "Ye're a match for John Rae any day, ye are that,
woman!"

The kettle was lowered to the burning turf and there was a round of tea.
The children and visitors sat on the floor.

"Now that ye're in sich fine fettle, Anna," Jamie said, "jist toss th'
cups for us!"

She took her own cup, gave it a peculiar twist and placed it mouth down
on the saucer. Then she took it up and examined it quizzically. The
leaves straggled hieroglyphically over the inside. The group got their
heads together and looked with serious faces at the cup.

"There's a ship comin' across th' sea--an' I see a letther!"

"It's for me, I'll bate," Jamie said.

"No, dear, it's fur me."

"Take it," Jamie said, "it's maybe a dispossess from oul Savage th'
landlord!"

She took Jamie's cup.

"There's a wee bit of a garden wi' a fence aroun' it."

"Wud that be Savage givin' us a bit of groun' next year t' raise
pirtas?"

"Maybe."

"Maybe we're goin' t' flit, where there's a perch or two wi' th' house!"

A low whistle outside attracted my attention and I stole quietly away.
It was Sonny Johnson, the baker's son, and he had a little bundle under
his arm. We boys were discussing a very serious proposition when Anna
appeared on the scene.

"Morra, Sonny!"

"Morra, Anna!"

"Aany day but Sunday he may go, dear, but not th' day."

That was all that was needed. Sonny wanted me to take him bird-nesting.
He had the price in the bundle.

"If I give ye this _now_," he said, "will ye come some other day fur
nothin'?"

"Aye."

In the bundle was a "bap"--a diamond-shaped, flat, penny piece of bread.
I rejoined the cup-tossers.

Another whistle. "That's Arthur," Anna said. "No shinny th' day, mind
ye."

I joined Arthur and we sat on the wall of Gainer's pigsty. We hadn't
been there long when "Chisty" McDowell, the superintendent of the
Methodist Sunday School, was seen over in Scott's garden rounding up his
scholars. We were in his line of vision and he made for us. We saw him
coming and hid in the inner sanctum of the sty. The pig was in the
little outer yard. "Chisty" was a wiry little man of great zeal but
little humor. It was his minor talent that came into play on this
occasion, however.

"Come, boys, come,"