es alone, and free from the gaze of strangers. She waited
till they were asleep, and then set to work, to manufacture out of the
minister's best suit some fresh garments for the boys, such as she
considered befitting their condition. Her busy needle was going the
greater part of the night, still she was up betimes, and again at work.
She, however, allowed the children to sleep on as long as they would.
"They will weary up here in this sma' room, the poor bairns, instead of
running about on their aine free heathery hills, and I must na' spare
the time to take them out on the links just now till their clays are
ready, and I can send them to school."

One of those admirable institutions in Scotland for the education of all
classes enabled Janet to carry out her project without difficulty. Mr
and Mrs Morrison had carefully taught their children, and the two boys
were well advanced for their age. The master of the school, on hearing
who they were, at once received the orphans, and promised, as far as he
could, to befriend them. "If you will be obedient boys, and try and say
your lessons well, you will get on," he observed.

Donald looked him full in the face, and at once said he would try, and
he always meant what he said. David made no answer, but clung to
Janet's gown, as if unwilling to be left behind among so many strange
people.

"Ye will be back in the afternoon, and we will be spearing for you,
bairns," she said. "They are precious, sir, very precious," she added,
turning to the master. "If they are shown the right way, as their
father showed it them, they will walk in it; but the deil's a cunning
deceiver, and ever ganging about to get hold of young souls as weel as
old ones. Ye'll doubtless warn them, and keep them out of bad company."

"I'll do my best, my good woman," answered the master, struck at Janet's
earnestness for the interests of her charges; and having bid her
farewell, he led off Donald and David, while Janet, taking Margaret by
the hand, returned to her lodging to resume her daily labour, well
satisfied with the arrangements she had made for the education of the
two boys.

Donald and David returned safe home in the evening from their first day
at school. Donald was full of all he had seen and done, and was
especially delighted at finding that he was superior to many boys of his
own age. Having made several friends, he said he thought school a very
fine place. He might have gone out to