assie was haudin'
the minister's haun', an' him speakin' an' lookin' up at somebody that I
didna see, but maybe the lassie did, for she lay back in her bed awfu'
thankfu'-like. But her mither never thankit the minister ava', juist
turned her back an' grat into her peenie. Mr. Marchbanks cam' oot; but I
saw nae mair, for I had to turn an' rin, or he wad hae seen me, an'
maybe askit me to hae a ride!"

"An' what for wad ye no' be prood to ride wi' the godly man?" asked my
wife.

"He micht ask me my quaistions, an' though I've been lickit thirteen
times for Effectual Callin', I canna get mair nor half through wi't.
['Yer faither's wi' ye there, laddie,' said I, under my breath.] Gin Mr.
Marchbanks wad aye look like what he did when he cam oot o' Leezie
Scott's, I wadna rin for the heather when he comes. Then he had a bit
crack in twa-three o' the hooses wi' the auld wives that wasna at the
wark, though he has nae mair members in the clauchan, them bein' a' Auld
Kirkers. But Mr. Marchbanks didna mind that, but ca'ed on them a', an'
pat up a prayer standin' wi' his staff in his hand and wi' his hair owre
his shoother."

"Hoo div ye ken?" I asked, curious to know how the boy had sketched the
minister so exactly.

"I juist keekit ben, for I likit to see't."

"The assurance o' the loon!" cried his mither, but not ill-pleased. (O
these mothers!)

"Then we cam' to the auld mill, an' the minister gaed in to see blin'
Maggie Affleck, an' when he cam' oot I'm sure as daith that he left
something that jingled on the kitchen table. On the doorstep he says,
wi' a bricht face on him, 'Marget, it's me that needs to thank you, for
I get a lesson frae ye every time that I come here.' Though hoo blind
Mag Affleck can learn a minister wi' lang white hair, is mair nor me or
Airchie Marchbanks could mak' oot. Sae we gaed on, an' the minister gied
every ragged bairn that was on the road that day a ride, till the auld
machine was as thrang as it could stick, like a merry-go-roon' at the
fair. Only, he made them a' get oot at the hills an' walk up, as he did
himsel'. 'Deed, he walkit near a' the road, an' pu'ed the auld meer
efter him insteed o' her drawin' him. 'I wish my faither wad lend me the
whup!' Airchie said, an' he tried to thig it awa' frae his faither. But
the minister was mair gleg than ye wad think, and Airchie got the whup,
but it was roon the legs, an' it garred him loup and squeal!"

My wife nodded grim approval.

"When