sembling, and yet how unlike, those of Johnny
Bruce when he crept into his rabbits' barrel to devour the pennyworth
of _plunky_ (a preparation of treacle and flour) which his brother
would else have compelled him to share. Now that the days were longer,
she had plenty of time to read; for although her so-called guardians
made cutting remarks upon her idleness, they had not yet compelled her
to nursing or needlework. If she had shown the least inclination to
either, her liberty would have been gone from that moment; but, with
the fear of James Dow before their eyes, they let her alone. As to her
doing anything in the shop, she was far too much of an alien to be
allowed to minister in the lowliest office of that sacred temple of
Mammon. So she read everything she could lay her hands upon; and as
often as she found anything peculiarly interesting, she would take the
book to the boat, where the boys were always ready to listen to
whatever she brought them. And this habit made her more dircerning
[sic] and choice.

Before I leave the school, however, I must give one more scene out of
its history.

One mid-day in spring, just as the last of a hail-shower was passing
away, and a sickly sunbeam was struggling out, the schoolroom-door
opened, and in came Andrew Truffey, with a smile on his worn face,
which shone in touching harmony with the watery gleam of the sun
between the two hail-storms--for another was close at hand. He swung
himself in on the new pivot of his humanity, namely his crutch, which
every one who saw him believed at once he was never more to go without,
till he sank wearied on the road to the grave, and had to be carried
the rest of the way. He looked very long and deathly, for he had grown
much while lying in bed.

The master rose hurriedly from his desk, and advanced to meet him. A
deep stillness fell upon the scholars. They dropped all their work, and
gazed at the meeting. The master held out his hand. With awkwardness
and difficulty Andrew presented the hand which had been holding the
crutch; and, not yet thoroughly used to the management of it, staggered
in consequence and would have fallen. But the master caught him in his
arms and carried him to his old seat beside his brother.

"Thank ye, sir," said the boy with another gleamy smile, through which
his thin features and pale, prominent eyes told yet more plainly of sad
suffering--all the master's fault, as the master knew.

"Leuk at the dominie," s