interchange of greetings with
the little boys. Wee Wattie, not quite four years old, came forward
boldly enough, and submitted to be lifted to her knee. But Norman, aged
five, had been once or twice sent to the school, with his brothers, when
his absence was convenient at home, and certain unpleasant recollections
of such times made him a little shy of meeting her friendly advances.
Even Robin and Jack had been in their day afraid of the mistress and her
tawse. But Marjorie had never been at the school, and had always seen
her in her best mood in the manse parlour. She had had rather a dull
afternoon with but her little brothers for company, for Allie was busy,
and had only looked in now and then to see that the little ones had got
into no mischief. So the child was truly pleased to see the mistress,
and showed it; and so Mistress Jamieson was pleased, also, and in the
best of humour for the afternoon.

And this was a fortunate thing for Marjorie. For she had many questions
in her mind which no one could answer so well as the mistress--questions
about the reading of one child and of the "weaving" of another, and of
the well-doing or ill-doing of many besides. For though she did not see
the bairns of the town very often, she knew them all, and took great
interest in all that concerned them.

She knew some things about the bairns of the school which the mistress
did not know herself, and which, on the whole, it was as well she should
not know. So when, in the case of one of them, they seemed to be
approaching dangerous ground, and Mrs Jamieson's face began to lengthen
and to take the set, which to Marjorie, who had only heard about it,
looked ominous of trouble to some one, the child turned the talk toward
other matters.

"I must show you my stocking," said she, opening a basket which stood
within reach of her hand. "It is not done so ill for a beginner, my
mother says. But it is slow work. I like the flowering of muslin
better, but mother says too much of it is no' good for the een. And it
is quite proper that every one should ken how to make stockings,
especially one with so many brothers as I have."

The stocking was duly examined and admired. It had been the work of
months, done in "stents" of six or eight times round in a day, and it
was well done "for a beginner." There were no mended botches, and no
traces of "hanging hairs and holey pies," which so often vexed the very
heart of the mistress in t