t
school that day how Cathro leaped three forms to get at Tommy, and how
Tommy cried under the tawse and yet laughed ecstatically at the same
time, and how subsequently he and Francie collected so many dues that
the pockets of them stood out like brackets from their little persons.

The dominie could not help grinning a little at his own discomfiture as
he told this story, but Aaron saw nothing amusing in it. "As I telled
you," he repeated, "I winna touch him, so if you're no content wi' what
you've done yoursel', you had better put Francie's mither on him."

"I hear she has taken him in hand already," Mr. Cathro replied dryly.
"But, Aaron, I wish you would at least keep him closer to his lessons at
night, for it is seldom he comes to the school well prepared."

"I see him sitting lang ower his books," said Aaron.

"Ay, maybe, but is he at them?" responded the dominie with a shake of
the head that made Aaron say, with his first show of interest in the
conversation, "You have little faith in his carrying a bursary, I see."

But this Mr. Cathro would not admit, for if he thought Tommy a numskull
the one day he often saw cause to change his mind the next, so he
answered guardedly, "It's too soon to say, Aaron, for he has eighteen
months' stuffing to undergo yet before we send him to Aberdeen to try
his fortune, and I have filled some gey toom wimes in eighteen months.
But you must lend me a hand."

The weaver considered, and then replied stubbornly, "No, I give him his
chance, but I'll have nocht to do wi' his use o't. And, dominie, I want
you to say not another word to me about him atween this and examination
time, for my mind's made up no to say a word to him. It's well kent that
I'm no more fit to bring up bairns than to have them (dinna conter me,
man, for the thing was proved lang syne at the Cuttle Well), and so till
that time I'll let him gang his ain gait. But if he doesna carry a
bursary, to the herding he goes. I've said it and I'll stick to it."

So, as far as Aaron was concerned, Tommy was left in peace to the glory
of collecting his winnings from those who had sworn by Cathro, and among
them was Master Gavin Ogilvy Dishart, who now found himself surrounded
by a debt of sixpence, a degrading position for the son of an Auld Licht
minister.

Tommy would not give him time, but was willing to take his copy of
"Waverley" as full payment.

Gavin offered him "Ivanhoe" instead, because his mother had given a