g and shovelling in the snow. He was building a hut
of it, after the fashion of the Esquimaux hut, with a very thick
circular wall, which began to lean towards its own centre as soon as it
began to rise. This hut he had pitched at the foot of a flag-staff on
the green--_lawn_ would be too grand a word for the hundred square feet
in front of his mother's house, though the grass which lay beneath the
snowy carpet was very green and lovely grass, smooth enough for any
lawn. In summer Alec had quite revelled in its greenness and softness,
as he lay on it reading the _Arabian Nights_ and the Ettrick Shepherd's
stories: now it was "white with the whiteness of what is dead;" for is
not the snow just dead water? The flag-staff he had got George Macwha
to erect for him, at a very small outlay; and he had himself fitted it
with shrouds and a cross-yard, and signal halliards; for he had always
a fancy for the sea, and boats, and rigging of all sorts. And he had a
great red flag, too, which he used to hoist on special occasions--on
market-days and such like; and often besides when a good wind blew. And
very grand it looked, as it floated in the tide of the wind.

Often he paused in his work, and turned--and oftener without raising
himself he glanced towards the town; but no signal burned from the
ridge of Curly's house, and he went on with his labour. When called in
to tea, he gave a long wistful look townwards, but saw no sign. Out
again he went, but no blue fire rejoiced him that night with the news
that Juno was ranging the streets; and he was forced to go to bed at
last, and take refuge from his disappointment in sleep.

The next day he strictly questioned all his officers as to the manner
in which they had fulfilled their duty, and found no just cause of
complaint.

"In future," he said to Curly, with the importance of one who had the
affairs of boys and dogs upon his brain--so that his style rose into
English--"in future, Curly, you may always know I am at home when you
see the red flag flying from my flag-staff."

"That's o' sma' service, General, i' the lang forenichts. A body canna
see freely so far."

"But Linkum wad see't fleein', lang or he wan to the yett (gate)."

"It wad flee nae mair nor a deid deuke i' this weather. It wad be
frozen as stiff's a buird."

"Ye gowk! Do ye think fowk wash their flags afore they hing them oot,
like sarks or sheets? Dinna ye be ower clever, Curly, my man."

Whereupon Curly shut