e a
good judgment on these secularities.

The family and dependants were all gathered together in the wide, cool
kitchen of Drumquhat, for it was the time for the minister's
catechising. Saunders sat with his wife beside him. The three
sons--Alec, James, and Rob--sat on straight-backed chairs; Walter near
by, his hand on his grandmother's lap.

Question and answer from the Shorter Catechism passed from lip to lip
like a well-played game in which no one let the ball drop. It would have
been thought as shameful if the minister had not acquitted himself at
"speerin"' the questions deftly and instantaneously as for one of those
who were answering to fail in their replies. When Rob momentarily
mislaid the "Reasons Annexed" to the second commandment, and his very
soul reeled in the sudden terror that they had gone from him for ever,
his father looked at him as one who should say, "Woe is me that I have
been the responsible means of bringing a fool into the world!" Even his
mother looked at him wistfully, in a way that was like cold water
running down his back, while Mr. Cameron said kindly, "Take your time,
Robert!"

However, Rob recovered himself gallantly, and reeled off the Reasons
Annexed with vigour. Then he promised, under his breath, a sound
thrashing to his model brother, James, who, having known the Catechism
perfectly from his youth up, had yet refused to give a leading hint to
his brother in his extremity. Walter had his answers as ready as any of
them.

Walter had, on one occasion, begun to attend a Sabbath school at the
village, which was started by the enthusiastic assistant of the parish
minister, whose church lay some miles over the moor. Walter had not
asked any permission of his seniors at the farm, but wandered off by
himself to be present at the strange ceremonies of the opening. There
the Drumquhat training made him easily first of those who repeated
psalms and said their Catechism. A distinguished career seemed to be
opening out before him, but a sad event happened which abruptly closed
the new-fangled Sunday school. The minister of the parish heard what
his young "helper" had been doing over in Whunnyliggate, and he appeared
in person on the following Sabbath when the exercises were in full
swing. He opened the door, and stood silently regarding, the stick
_dithering_ in both hands with a kind of senile fury.

The "helper" came forward with a bashful confidence, expecting that he
would receive co