human foot upon it. The keen air made him
happy; and the face of nature, looking as peaceful as the face of a
dead man dreaming of heaven, wrought in him jubilation and leaping. He
was at the school door before a human being had appeared in the streets
of Glamerton. Its dwellers all lay still under those sheets of snow,
which seemed to hold them asleep in its cold enchantment.

Before any of his fellows made their appearance, he had kneaded and
piled a great heap of snowballs, and stood by his pyramid, prepared for
the offensive. He attacked the first that came, and soon there was a
troop of boys pelting away at him. But with his store of balls at his
foot, he was able to pay pretty fairly for what he received; till, that
being exhausted, he was forced to yield the unequal combat. By-and-by
the little ones gathered, with Annie amongst them; but they kept aloof,
for fear of the flying balls, for the boys had divided into two equal
parties, and were pelting away at each other. At length the woman who
had charge of the school-room, having finished lighting the fire,
opened the door, and Annie, who was very cold, made a run for it,
during a lull in the fury of the battle.

"Stop," cried Alec; and the balling ceased, that Annie, followed by a
few others, might pass in safety through the midst of the combatants.
One boy, however, just as Annie was entering, threw a ball after her.
He missed her, but Alec did not miss him; for scarcely was the ball out
of his hand when he received another, right between his eyes. Over he
went, amidst a shout of satisfaction.

When the master appeared at the top of the lane the fight came to a
close; and as he entered the school, the group round the fire broke up
and dispersed. Alec, having entered close behind the master, overtook
Annie as she went to her seat, for he had observed, as she ran into the
school, that she was lame--indeed limping considerably.

"What's the maitter wi' ye, Annie?" he said. "What gars ye hirple?"

"Juno bitet me," answered Annie.

"Ay! Verra weel!" returned Alec, in a tone that had more meaning than
the words.

Soon after the Bible-class was over, and they had all taken their
seats, a strange quiet stir and excitement gradually arose, like the
first motions of a whirlpool at the turn of the tide. The master became
aware of more than the usual flitting to and fro amongst the boys, just
like the coming and going which preludes the swarming of bees. But as
he