d his rules!" Hughie's disgust was quite
unutterable.

"Rules!" exclaimed the old man. "Ay, that is what is the trouble."

"Well," said Hughie, with a spice of mischief, "if Thomas is late for
school he will have to bring a note of excuse."

"Very good indeed. And why should he be late at all?"

"And if any one wants a pencil he can't ask for it unless he gets
permission from the master."

"Capital!" said the old man, rubbing his hands delightedly. "He's the
right sort, whatever."

"And if you keep Thomas home a day or a week, you will have to write to
the master about it," continued Hughie.

"And what for, pray?" said the old man, hastily. "May I not
keep--but--Yes, that's a very fine rule, too. It will keep the boys from
the woods, I am thinking."

"But think of big Murdie Cameron holding up his hand to ask leave to
speak to Bob Fraser!"

"And why not indeed? If he's not too big to be in school he's not too
big for that. Man alive! you should have seen the master in my school
days lay the lads over the forms and warm their backs to them."

"As big as Murdie?"

"Ay, and bigger. And what's more, he would send for them to their homes,
and bring them strapped to a wheel-barrow. Yon was a master for you!"

Hughie snorted. "Huh! I tell you what, we wouldn't stand that. And we
won't stand this man either."

"And what will you be doing now, Hughie?" quizzed the old man.

"Well," said Hughie, reddening at the sarcasm, "I will not do much, but
the big boys will just carry him out."

"And who will be daring to do that, Hughie?"

"Well, Murdie, and Bob Fraser, and Curly Ross, and Don, and--and Thomas,
there," added Hughie, fearing to hurt Thomas' feelings by leaving him
out.

"Ay," said the old man, shutting his lips tight on his pipestem and
puffing with a smacking noise, "let me catch Thomas at that!"

"And I would help, too," said Hughie, valiantly, fearing he had exposed
his friend, and wishing to share his danger.

"Well, your father would be seeing to that," said the old man, with
great satisfaction, feeling that Hughie's discipline might be safely
left in the minister's hands.

There was a pause of a few moments, and then a quiet voice inquired
gently, "He will be a very big man, Hughie, I suppose."

"Oh, just ordinary," said Hughie, innocently, turning to Mrs. Finch.

"Oh, then, they will not be requiring you and Thomas, I am thinking, to
carry him out." At which Hughie and Billy Jack and Jessa