had little or no constructive power, he never saw beyond the
symptoms. They were to him mere isolated facts, signifying present
disorder.

"John Morison, go to your seat," he cried.

John went.

"Robert Rennie, go to your seat."

Robert went. And this continued till, six having been thus passed by,
and a seventh appearing three forms from his own, the master, who
seldom stood it so long, could stand it no longer. The _tag_ was
thrown, and a _licking_ followed, making matters a little better from
the master's point of view.

Now I will try to give, from the scholars' side, a peep of what passed.

As soon as he was fairly seated, Alec said in a low voice across the
double desk to one of the boys opposite, calling him by his nickname,

"I say, Divot, do ye ken Juno?"

"Maybe no!" answered Divot. "But gin I dinna, my left leg dis."

"I thocht ye kent the shape o' her teeth, man. Jist gie Scrumpie there
a dig i' the ribs."

"What are ye efter, Divot? I'll gie ye a cloot o' the lug," growled
Scrumpie.

"Hoot man! The General wants ye."

_The General_ was Alec's nickname.

"What is't, General?"

"Do ye ken Juno?"

"Hang the bitch! I ken her ower weel. She took her denner aff o' ane o'
my hips, ae day last year."

"Jist creep ower to Cadger there, and speir gin he kens Juno. Maybe
he's forgotten her."

Cadger's reply was interrupted by the interference of the master, but a
pantomimic gesture conveyed to the General sufficient assurance of the
retentiveness of Cadger's memory in regard to Juno and her favours.
Such messages and replies, notwithstanding more than one licking, kept
passing the whole of the morning.

Now Juno was an animal of the dog kind, belonging to Robert Brace. She
had the nose and the legs of a bull-dog, but was not by any means
thorough-bred, and her behaviour was worse than her breed. She was a
great favourite with her master, who ostensibly kept her chained in his
back-yard for the protection of his house and property. But she was not
by any means popular with the rising generation. For she was given to
biting, with or without provocation, and every now and then she got
loose--upon sundry of which occasions she had bitten boys. Complaint
had been made to her owner, but without avail; for he only professed
great concern, and promised she should not get loose again, which
promise had been repeatedly broken. Various vows of vengeance had been
made, and forgotten. But now Alec Forbes h