lding his father's house, and of putting the farm in good
order, and something besides. He lost no time in commencing his
labours, and he worked, and made others work, with a will. There were
among the neighbours those who shook their cautious old heads when they
spoke of his energetic measures, as though they would not last long; but
this was because they did not know Allister Macivor.

He had not been at home two days before he made up his mind that his
mother should not pass another winter in the little log-house that had
sheltered them since his father's death; and he had not been at home ten
days when preparations for the building of a new house were commenced.
Before the snow went away, stone and lime for the walls and bricks for
the chimneys were collected, and the carpenters were at work on windows
and doors. As soon as the frost was out of the ground, the cellar was
dug and stoned, and everything was prepared for the masons and
carpenters, so that when the time for the farm-work came, nothing had to
be neglected in the fields because of the work going on at the new
house. So even the slow, cautious ones among the neighbours confessed
that, as far as could be judged yet, Allister was a lad of sense; for
the true farmer will attend to his fields at the right time and in the
right way, whatever else may be neglected.

But the house went on bravely--faster than ever house went on in those
parts before, for all things were ready to the workmen's hands.

May-day came, and found Allister and Dan busy in taking down Angus Dhu's
fence--at least, that part of it that lay between the house-field and
the creek.

"I didn't think the old man meant to let us have these rails," said Dan.
"Not that they are his by rights. I should not wonder if he were down
upon us, after all, for taking them away." And Dan put up his hands to
shade his eyes, as he turned in the direction of Angus Dhu's house.

"Nonsense, Dan; I bought the rails," said Allister.

Dan whistled.

"If I had been you, I would have taken them without his leave," said he.

"Pooh! and quarrelled with a neighbour for the sake of a few rails."

"But right is right," insisted Dan. "Not that I think he would have
made much ado about it, though. The old man has changed lately. I
always think the hearing that our Shenac gave him on this very place did
him a deal of good."

Dan looked mysterious, and Allister was a little curious.

"I have always told yo