.

Soon after the Muckley came word that the Lady of the Spittal was to be
brought to see Corp by Mr. Ogilvy, the school-master of Glen Quharity,
and at first Corp boasted of it, but as the appointed day drew near he
became uneasy.

"The worst o't," he said to anyone who would listen, "is that my auntie
is to be away frae hame, and so they'll put a' their questions to me."

The Haggerty-Taggertys and Birkie were so jealous that they said they
were glad _they_ never had fits, but Tommy made no such pretence.

"Oh, Corp, if I had thae fits of yours!" he exclaimed greedily.

"If they were mine to give awa'," replied Corp sullenly, "you could
have them and welcome." Grown meek in his trouble, he invited Tommy to
speak freely, with the result that his eyes were partially opened to the
superiority of that boy's attainments. Tommy told him a number of
interesting things to say to Mr. Ogilvy and the lady about his fits,
about how queer he felt just before they came on, and the visions he had
while he was lying stiff. But though the admiring Corp gave attentive
ear, he said hopelessly next day, "Not a dagont thing do I mind. When
they question me about my fits I'll just say I'm sometimes in them and
sometimes out o' them, and if they badger me more, I can aye kick."

Tommy gave him a look that meant, "Fits are just wasted on you," and
Corp replied with another that meant, "I ken they are." Then they
parted, one of them to reflect.

"Corp," he said excitedly, when next they met, "has Mr. Ogilvy or the
lady ever come to see you afore?"

They had not, and Corp was able to swear that they did not even know him
by sight.

"They dinna ken me either," said Tommy.

"What does that matter?" asked Corp, but Tommy was too full to speak. He
had "found a way."

The lady and Mr. Ogilvy found Corp such a success that the one gave him
a shilling and the other took down his reminiscences in a note-book. But
if you would hear of the rings of blue and white and yellow Corp saw,
and of the other extraordinary experiences he described himself as
having when in a fit, you need not search that note-book, for the page
has been torn out. Instead of making inquiries of Mr. Ogilvy, try any
other dominie in the district, Mr. Cathro, for instance, who delighted
to tell the tale. This of course was when it leaked out that Tommy had
personated Corp, by arrangement with the real Corp, who was listening in
rapture beneath the bed.

Tommy, who pla