is t'
Monkey to cross if you goes inside; and us allows it a good hundred
miles to go round t' cape. It'll take you a week to haul a barrel of
flour from there here."

Roderick, sitting back in his chair, was dejectedly surveying the
comfortable-looking room. Malcolm caught his gaze, and realized what
was passing in the poor fellow's mind.

"Draw up, draw up, and light your pipe, Mr. Norman," he interposed.
"'Tis only Home Rule tobacco, but it serves us down here."

Eagerly enough Norman accepted the proffered plug, and then relapsed
into a silence which Malcolm found it hard to break. So, excusing
himself for a minute, he beckoned the old folk to come into their
bedroom that they might talk over the situation in private.

"He has four youngsters, and I knows they be hard up," he began. "They
hasn't a chance where they are. T' neighbours blames Roderick for
several little troubles which happened to t' southard, and t' traders
won't advance more'n he can pay for. If it was any one else, and
to-morrow wasn't Christmas, it would be just good fun to go down North
with him and help haul back a barrel or so--that is, if they lets him
have it."

"That's not like you, Malcolm. You can't make a man good that way, any
more'n you can a dog by beatin' him," chimed in his old mother. "I
guess you'll go along with him, even to-morrow, if so be he wishes
it."

"S'pose I will, Mother, but--"

"Course you would," said his father proudly. "They've never known a
McCrea yet on this coast that would let even a dog starve. But
there's a barrel of flour in our cellar which we can live without.
Maybe it's t' kind of Christmas greeting t' poor fellow needs."

"If you says so, it's all right, Father," said Malcolm, "and, seeing
it's a good hundred miles to Mr. Norman's house, I guess I'll go
along, anyhow, in t' morning and let my beauties help them half-fed
pups of his, or it'll be Old Christmas Day before his kids get a bite
out of it."

Only the joy of the first tobacco for weeks was keeping the worn-out
man from being fast asleep when Malcolm again took a chair beside him.

"I've got to make a round south to-morrow, Mr. Norman," he began, "and
it would be a pity if you had to be going t' other way. Father says he
has a barrel of flour in t' cellar you can have and pay for it when
youse can. So if that'll suit, I'd like to give you a hand some part
of t' way, especially as there'll be a few gallons of molasses to
carry also if y