to play any more
with the stupid little boy, and if you had come when I called you, I
should not have got into this mess."

"If it had not been for the old man and the little boy you would have
been suffocated in the bog," answered Fanny; "you ought to be very
grateful to them for saving you, and see what trouble they are taking to
get the carriage out."

"I won't be lectured by you," answered Norman, "and I will go home as
soon as I can get the carriage. The old man will be scolding me if I
stop here, because I upset his little grandson, and I do not choose to
submit to that."

"Nonsense, you foolish boy," answered Fanny, "if you remain in your wet
clothes you will catch cold, and mamma and granny will be much more
angry with you than old Alec is likely to be."

"I daresay they will if you go and tell them that I ran away from you,
and you always take pleasure in getting me into scrapes."

"O Norman, how can you say that?" exclaimed Fanny, "you know I am always
anxious to prevent you from being punished. Here come old Alec and
Robby with the carriage. I hope that you will thank them for pulling
you out of the bog, and that you will go in (should old Alec ask you) to
get your clothes dried before we set off. I am very thankful you have
escaped, but I am afraid we shall not be allowed to come again by
ourselves over the moor to visit the cottage. The first time I tumbled
down and wetted my clothes, and now you are in a worse plight, for your
clothes are all muddy and spoilt, and you might have lost your life if
old Alec had not come to help you."

This Norman would not acknowledge, but declared that he could have got
out very well by himself. Notwithstanding what Fanny had said, he still
insisted on returning home at once.

"Oh no, you must come back and have your clothes dried, as Mr Morrison
wishes you," she said.

"As you, Miss Fanny, think that your brother ought to go back, there is
a very easy way of settling the matter," said Alec; and before Norman
know what was going to happen, the old man tucked him under his arm and
carried him along as a farmer sometimes carries a refractory pig, while
Robby followed with the carriage. In vain Norman shrugged and grumbled,
and squeaked out.

Alec soon had him seated on the bench before his kitchen fire, which he
made blaze merrily up. He then quickly took off his clothes, and
wrapped him up in a clean shirt, and his Sunday coat.

"The clothes won't take l