ere was a
great run of sap, as usually happens several times in the season, the
boiling had to be carried on through the night, as well as during the
day, and when the weather was fine, this only made the fun the greater.
At such times Davie usually secured the companionship of a friend, and
the chances were the friend brought another friend or two with him; and
there were few things happening in Gershom or elsewhere that were not
freely discussed at such times.

Katie had less to do with sugar-making this year than ever she had
before, and was inclined to murmur a little because of it. But she was
less needed in the wood now, her grandmother said, when the other bairns
were growing able to help their brother, and Katie was needed in the
house. Early as it was, there were calves to be fed and milk to be
cared for, and this year it was understood that Katie was to be
responsible for all that was done in the dairy. There was plenty to do;
Katie's mother was not strong, and grannie confessed that she was
feeling herself not so young as she used to be, and Katie was the main
stay now.

And, besides, Katie was too nearly a grown woman now to play herself
with the bairns in the wood, grannie went on to say, and it was far
better for Davie to get Ben Holt or some other lad to help, when help
was needed, than to take his sister from her work at home to do work for
which she was not fit. Of course Katie assented, and yielded her own
pleasure, as she always did at any word of grannie's; but grannie
herself felt a little uncomfortable about it. For it was not her
thought that Katie should be kept, as a general thing, out of the wood,
but Davie's. Between indignation and amusement, she had had some
difficulty in keeping her countenance when the lad had spoken.

"I dinna need her, grannie, and she's better at home. Help! There's no
fear but I'll get help enough. Jim Miller will be over, and Moses
Green, and more besides, very likely, and I'm no' wanting Katie."

"You're well off for helpers, it seems, Davie, my lad. But as for
Katie's going--"

"Grannie, she's no' going. As for helpers, they may come and go, and
help or not help, as suits themselves. But the less they have to say
about our Katie in the town, the better. Helpers! Do you suppose,
grannie dear, that they all come to help me?"

His grandmother looked at him in amazement.

"I doubt, laddie, you hardly ken what you are saying."

"I ken fine, granni