of the Tenth, had
secured the services of a primitive Methodist preacher, and was holding
nightly meetings in the schoolhouse, where much good was done. But the
noisy devotions of the Flats met with little favour in the sight of the
Oa. Praying Donald, conscious of the purity of their motive, had
visited the Methodists once, and had now little to say in commendation.

"They will be doing the best they know, James," he declared, "but the
Lord will be taking no pleasure in tumult and confusion, and we will
jist be holding our meetings at the neighbours' houses, whatever."

And so the first meeting was arranged to be held at Long Lauchie's,
and, before parting, the little group knelt about the boxes and bales,
and in low, solemn tones like the breaking of waves on a rocky shore,
Praying Donald besought the Eternal Father for a blessing on this new
land and an instilling of the righteousness that exalteth a nation.

The news of the meeting was spread through the community, chiefly by
Weaver Jimmie; and was received with much thankfulness by most of the
people, who had been longing all the days of their exile for something
resembling the church services of the old land.

When the night of the first meeting arrived, Scotty was in a state of
carefully subdued excitement. He knew by his grandfather's manner that
the occasion was one calling for solemnity of demeanour; but he could
not help feeling very much worked up over the thought of going away
from home after dark; it made one feel almost as big and important as
Callum. He could scarcely believe his senses when they covered the
fire, closed the door and all drove away in the big sleigh. Granny sat
on the front seat beside Grandaddy, another strange circumstance, for
Granny never went anywhere either by day or by night, except when a
neighbour was sick. Scotty further emphasised his grown-up feeling by
sitting behind with the boys; they conversed in low tones, and Callum
said he'd "a good mind to skedaddle off into the bush." But they were
unusually quiet. Rory even forbore to whistle, and the boy found he
had to amuse himself by peering into the silent blackness of the pine
forest, or gazing up at the strip of clear star-spangled heavens that
shone between the lines of trees.

Long Lauchie's house, which stood on a hill at the end of a very long
lane, was brightly lighted and very silent. This last fact was worthy
of note, for what with the misdemeanours of Lo