sits were made alone,
or in company with little Emily.

The schoolmaster, Mr Isaac Newton Foster, came often, partly because he
liked the lads, and partly because of his fondness for mathematics. The
night of his visit was always honoured by the light of an extra candle,
for his appearance was the signal for the bringing forth of slates and
books, and it was wonderful what pleasure they all got together from the
mysterious figures and symbols, of which they never seemed to grow
weary.

Graeme, from being interested in the progress of her brothers, soon
became interested in their studies for their own sake, and Mr Foster
had not a more docile or successful pupil than she became. Janet had
her doubts about her "taking up with books that were fit only for
_laddies_," but Mr Foster proved, with many words, that her ideas were
altogether old-fashioned on the subject, and as the minister did not
object, and Graeme herself had great delight in it, she made no
objections. Her first opinion on the schoolmaster had been that he was
a well-meaning, harmless lad, and it was given in a tone which said
plainer than words, that little more could be put forth in his favour.
But by and by, as she watched him, and saw the influence for good which
he exerted over the lads, keeping them from mischief, and really
interesting them in their studies, she came to have a great respect for
Mr Foster.

But all the evenings when Mr Foster was with them were not given up to
lessons. When, as sometimes happened, Mr Snow or Mr Greenleaf came
in, something much more exciting took the place of Algebra. Mr
Greenleaf was not usually the chief speaker on such occasions, but he
had the faculty of making the rest speak, and having engaged the lads,
and sometimes even Graeme and Janet, in the discussion of some exciting
question, often the comparative merits of the institutions of their
respective countries, he would leave the burden of the argument to the
willing Mr Foster, while he assumed the position of audience, or put in
a word now and then, as the occasion seemed to require. They seldom
lost their tempers when he was there, as they sometimes did on less
favoured occasions. For Janet and Janet's bairns were prompt to do
battle where the honour of their country was concerned, and though Mr
Foster was good nature itself, he sometimes offended. He could not
conscientiously withhold the superior light which he owed to his birth
and education in