y. "What do
girls know about boats or birds?"

He was in a bad humour, for Anna had been unbearable in her exactions.

"Very well," replied Anna, tossing her hair; "I can get the key of the
boat and you can't. I shall take Donald out with me."

Now, Donald was the second lighthouse-keeper, detested of Simeon. He was
grown-up and contemptuous. Also he had whiskers--horrid ugly things,
doubtless, but whiskers. So he surrendered at discretion.

"Go and get the key, then, and we will go round to the white beaches.
I'll bring the provisions."

He would have died any moderately painless death rather than say, "The
oatcake and water-keg."

So in a little they met again at the Boat Cove which Providence had
placed at the single inlet upon the practicable side of Suliscanna,
which could not be seen from either the Laggan Light or the construction
cottages. Only the lighter that brought the hewn granite could spy upon
it.

"Mind you sneak past your father, Anna!" cried Simeon, afar off.

His voice carried clear and lively. But yet higher and clearer rose the
reply, spoken slowly to let each word sink well in.

"Teach-your-grandmother-to-suck-eggs--ducks' eggs!"

What the private sting of the discriminative, only Simeon knew. And
evidently he did know very well, for he kicked viciously at a dog
belonging to Donald the second keeper--a brute of a dog it was; but,
missing the too-well-accustomed cur, he stubbed his toe. He then
repeated the multiplication table. For he was an admirable boy and
careful of his language.

But, nevertheless, he got the provision out with care and promptitude.

"Where are you taking all that cake?" said his mother, who came from
Ayrshire and wanted a reason for everything. In the north there is no
need for reasons. There everything is either a judgment or a
dispensation, according to whether it happens to your neighbour or
yourself.

"I am no' coming hame for ony dinner," said Simeon, who adopted a
modified dialect to suit his mother. With his father he spoke English
only, in a curious sing-song tone but excellent of accent.

Mrs. Lauder--Simeon's mother, that is--accepted the explanation without
remark, and Simeon passed out of her department.

"Mind ye are no' to gang intil the boat!" she cried after him; but
Simeon was apparently too far away to hear.

He looked cautiously up the side of the Laggan Light to see that his
father was still polishing at his morning brasses and reflecto