tting her heart upon it. It will be a sad
disappointment to her."

"If it must be a disappointment. No, we have had no words about it.
But she heard it from the mistress. It wad be as good for her as for
the other bairns."

"I fear it would not be wise to try it. And she can hardly have set her
heart upon going, or she would not be sleeping so quietly."

"It would do her good," persisted Allison.

"And you could trust her with Allison, and Robin might meet them and
carry the child home," said the minister.

Mrs Hume turned to him in surprise. When the minister sat down in the
parlour to take a half-hour's recreation with a book, he became, as far
as could be observed, quite unconscious of all that might be going on
around him, which was a fortunate circumstance for all concerned,
considering the dimensions of the house, and the number of people in it.
But never a word, which touched his little daughter, escaped him,
however much his book might interest him.

"You would take good care of her, Allison?" repeated he.

"Ay, that I would."

"If it were a possible thing that she could go I would not be afraid to
trust her with Allison. But the risk of harm would be greater than the
good she could get, or the pleasure."

"It is a long road, and I doubt ye might weary, Allison," said the
minister.

"I hae carried hame lost lammies, two, and whiles three o' them, a
langer road over the hills than the road to the Stanin' Stanes. Ay,
whiles I grew weary, but what of that?" said Allison, with an animation
of face and voice that astonished them both.

"Well! We'll sleep on it. A wise plan at most times when doubtful
questions are being considered."

And who could measure the delight of the child when it was told her that
she was to go to the hills with the rest? If her mother were still only
half convinced of the wisdom of the measure, she did not suffer her
anxiety to appear in a way to spoil her little daughter's pleasure. And
Marjorie moderated her raptures and was wonderfully quiet and unexcited
while all preparations were going on. Nor did she show impatience when
she had still some time to wait after her little brothers had set out to
join the other bairns at the school.

The mistress was to have the help of some of the elder girls in
marshalling the little lads and lassies, and in encouraging them through
the rather long, tramp up the hills. Allison, who had been busy from
early morning, and had