a look at it too. I'm ashamed of
myself, Willie. I believe I was making myself unhappy at thinking that I
shall just have gone back as much as you've gone forward. I didn't know
I cared so much for being first in my lessons."

After that I avoided ever talking of my lessons when Aleck was in the
room; but he noticed this, and insisted on introducing the subject,
speaking often to Mr. Glengelly about my progress, and looking over my
exercises from time to time, whilst he would playfully remark that "we
should be about equal when he was allowed to begin lessons again, and
better companions than ever before."

Sometimes he wondered at my getting on so much faster than formerly, not
knowing the spirit of resolve and determination that had grown out of
all the sad time of trouble, when I had found out for the first time
what a poor sinful child I was, and had learned to seek and find for
myself the sure Refuge and Strength--not for times of trouble only, but
for the whole of life's journey.

From the circumstance of my play-time being in great part spent with my
cousin, at least such part of it as was not taken up in rides or drives
with my parents, it came to pass that my visits to the Cove were far
less frequent than they had been at any previous time. But though old
George growled and grumbled at seeing so little of me, he always
encouraged me not to desert my cousin.

Now and then, however, I found my way down the Zig-zag to the lodge, and
it was upon one of these occasions that I unburdened my mind to my old
friend of a desire, which grew and strengthened upon me, in some way to
provide for Aleck a boat which should be quite equal to the one he had
lost. I knew it was worth a great deal more than I should be able to
save in pocket-money, and a vague idea of the possibility of bartering
some of my possessions had been dismissed as impracticable.

To part with the "Fair Alice" without old George's sanction would not be
right, but if he would make no objection, it seemed to me that this
would be on the whole the easiest mode of reparation, and I took him
into consultation on the subject accordingly.

"I know it's your present to me, George," I said, feeling sadly alive to
the delicacy of the request; "but if you'll give me leave, I think it's
the only thing I have that would do to give Aleck. I can't think of any
other way. I know it took you a tremendous time to make, and I care for
it more than for anything. But I