mouth as though to call after his son; but his wife's
gentle voice interposed. She had, so far, by her quiet tact, kept the
father and son from an open rupture.

"And what would Kirsty be doing?" she asked, striving to keep her
anxiety from showing in her voice. A spasm of joy jerked one of the
Weaver's legs over the other.

"She would be sending me over here on a message. A good sign, I will
be thinkin'," he added, lowering his voice, for the young men were
scarcely out of earshot. "Yes, indeed, a good sign, I will be
thinkin'. The wee lady from the Captain's came the other day and she
would be sending me to get Scotty to come and play with her."

Scotty raised his head. "Hoh!" he scoffed, "play with a girl!"

Big Malcolm laughed indulgently. "See yon, Jimmie!" he said, "he'll
not be so anxious to go to Kirsty's as some people, indeed."

Jimmie grinned delightedly. Nothing pleased him more than to be
twitted about his devotion to his lady.

"Oh, but he must be going," said Granny. "The little girl would be
lonely and I would be promising Kirsty last winter that he would go."

"Grandaddy don't like her uncle, anyhow," said Scotty. Big Malcolm
took his pipe from his mouth. The boy had mentioned a fact for which
his grandfather had excellent reasons, but he did not choose that it
should be made so apparent to the general public.

"That will be none o' your business, lad," he said sternly, "an' when
Kirsty wants ye, ye'll go." Scotty made no reply; he was not quite so
chagrined as he would have others think. He really wanted to see the
little girl with the yellow curls and the big, blue eyes, and
demonstrate to her that he was not English, no not one whit.

So the next morning he set off across the swamp towards Kirsty John's
clearing. It was a relief that Grandaddy and the boys had gone for a
day's work to the north clearing. This was a tract of timber on the
shore of Lake Oro which was partially cleared, and upon which Callum
hoped some day to settle. The distance to it was some miles, and they
had taken their dinner and supper; so Scotty felt his disgraceful
secret was safe.

He was a long time on the way, of course, for Bruce had gone to the
north clearing too and his master had to do double work in racing after
chipmunks. Then he loitered purposely, for he was going for the first
time in his life to pay a formal visit, and that to a girl. The
situation was such as no discreet person would