--yet an
undeniable boat to the motherly eye of hope. And there were Alec and
Willie working away before her eyes, doing their best to fulfil the
promise of its looks. A little quiet chat she had with George Macwha,
in which he poured forth the praises of her boy, did not a little, as
well, to reconcile her to his desertion of her.

"Deed, mem," said George, whose acquaintance with Scripture was neither
extensive nor precise, "to my mind he's jist a fulfilment o' the
prophecee, 'An auld heid upo' young shouthers;' though I canna richtly
min' whilk o' the lesser prophets it is that conteens 't."

But Mrs Forbes never saw a little figure, lying in a corner,
half-buried in wood-shavings, and utterly unconscious of her presence,
being fast asleep.

This was, of course, Annie Anderson, who having heard of the new
occupation of her hero, had, one afternoon, three weeks before Mrs
Forbes's visit, found herself at George's shop door, she hardly knew
how. It seemed to her that she had followed her feet, and they had
taken her there before she knew where they were going. Peeping in, she
watched Alec and Willie for some time at their work, without venturing
to show herself. But George, who came up behind her as she stood, and
perceived her interest in the operations of the boys, took her by the
hand, and led her in, saying kindly:

"Here's a new apprentice, Alec. She wants to learn boat-biggin."

"Ou! Annie, is that you, lassie? Come awa'," said Alec. "There's a fine
heap o' spales ye can sit upo', and see what we're aboot."

And so saying he seated her on the shavings, and half-buried her with
an armful more to keep her warm.

"Put to the door, Willie," he added. "She'll be cauld. She's no
workin', ye see."

Whereupon Willie shut the door, and Annie found herself very
comfortable indeed. There she sat, in perfect contentment, watching the
progress of the boat--a progress not very perceptible to her
inexperienced eyes, for the building of a boat is like the building of
a city or the making of a book: it turns out a boat at last. But after
she had sat for a good while in silence, she looked up at Alec, and
said:

"Is there naething I can do to help ye, Alec?"

"Naething, Annie. Lassies canna saw or plane, ye ken. Ye wad tak' aff
yer ain lugs in a jiffey."

Again she was silent for a long time; and then, with a sigh, she looked
up and said:

"Alec, I'm so cauld!"

"I'll bring my plaid to row ye in the morn's nicht.