did not reach his place of
retreat without assistance and much plain truth.

"It's a shame to take any fee from your father, Jock Howieson, and it's
little use trying to give ye any education. Ye've the thickest head and
the least sense in all the schule. Man, they should take you home and
set ye on eggs to bring out chickens; ye micht manage that wi' care. The
first three propositions, Jock, before ye leave this room, without a
slip, or _ma certes_!" and Jock understood that if he misused his time
his instructor would make good use of his.

It was Bulldog's way to promenade the empty schoolroom for ten minutes
before the reassembling at two, and it was rare indeed that a boy should
be late. When one afternoon there were only nineteen present and
forty-three absent, he could only look at Dowbiggin, and when that
exemplary youth explained that the school had gone up to the top of the
Meadow for a bathe, and suggested they were still enjoying themselves,
Bulldog was much lifted.

"Bathing is a healthy exercise, and excellent for the mind, but it's
necessary to bring a glow to the skin aifterwards, or there micht be a
chill," and he searched out and felt a superior cane kept for the
treatment of truants and other grievous offenders.

It was exactly 2.15 when the door opened and a procession of forty-two
entered panting and breathless, headed by Dunc Robertson, who carried
his head erect, with a light in his eye, and closed by Peter, whose hair
was like unto that of a drowned rat, and whose unconcealed desire was
for obscurity. The nineteen could only smack their lips with
expectation and indicate by signs the treat awaiting their comrades.

"I've had chairge of the departments of writing, arithmetic, and
mathematics in the Muirtown Seminary," began Bulldog, "for fifty-five
years laist Martinmas, and near eighteen hundred laddies hae passed
through my hands. Some o' them were gude and some were bad"--Mr.
MacKinnon spoke with a judicial calmness that was awful--"some were yir
grandfathers, some were yir fathers; but such a set of impudent,
brazen-faced little scoundrels----" Then his composure failed him as he
looked at the benches. "What have ye got to say for yirselves, for it
will be three weeks afore I'm over ye all?"

For a while no one moved, and then Dunc Robertson rose in his place and
made speech for his fellows like a gentleman's son.

"We are sorry for being late, sir, but it was not our blame; we had been