e and butter-making, and
these weary propositions. Of course it's right to go to the kirk, and I
promised grannie I would go this afternoon to the Scott school-house
with the bairns. But I like to bide quiet here a while, too."

"I would far rather bide here," said Davie.

"Yes, but, Davie, we mustna think light of the Sabbath-day. Think what
it is to grandfather. He would like it better if we were better bairns.
I'm just glad of the rest."

"You're tired of your books," said Davie, with a little brotherly
contempt in his voice. "You're but a lassie, however, and it canna be
helped."

"I canna do two things at once. I'm tired of making cheese and keeping
up with girls at the school too. And I'm glad it's the Sabbath-day for
the rest. And, Davie," she added, after a pause, "I'm not going to the
school after you stop. Grannie needs me at home, and I'm no' going."

"Catch me staying at home if I could go," said Davie.

"But, Davie, it is my duty to help grannie to make all the money we can
to pay the debt, and get grandfather out of the hands of those
avaricious Holts. What noise was yon, Davie?"

Listeners seldom hear good of themselves, and the mention of the
"avaricious Holts" startled Clifton into the consciousness that he was
listening to that which was not intended for his ears, and he drew to
Ben's side.

"It's the little Flemings," said Ben; "aint they Scotchy? That is the
way they always speak to one another at home."

They went round the knoll through the trees among the broken pieces of
rock scattered over the little eminence. Before they reached the brook
the other way a voice hailed them.

"Hallo, Ben! Does your Aunt Betsey know that you're going about in such
company on Sunday?"

"If meeting's out she knows, or she mistrusts," said Ben, taking the
matter seriously. "We're going over to the Scott school-house to
meeting. Aunt Betsey'll like that, anyhow."

They all laughed, for Ben and the Fleming children had long been
friends.

"Here's Clif got home sooner than he expected to, and Jacob, he's
reading a sermon by himself because the minister didn't come, and so--we
came away. This is Clif."

The smile which had greeted Ben went out of Katie's eyes, and surprise
and a little offence took its place, as she met Clifton's look. But she
laughed merrily when the lad, stepping back, took off his hat and bowed
low, as he might have done to any of the fine ladies of B--, where he
ha