The other boys were, or
seemed to be, busy with their catechisms, in the hope of getting out as
soon as the master returned. At length Alec took out his knife, and
began, for very vacancy, to whittle away at the desk before him. When
Annie saw that, she crept across to his form, and sat down on the end
of it. Alec looked up at her, smiled, and went on with his whittling.
Annie slid a little nearer to him, and asked him to hear her say her
catechism. He consented, and she repeated the lesson perfectly.
"Now let me hear you, Alec," she said.
"Na, thank ye, Annie. I canna say't. And I wonna say't for a' the
dominies in creation."
"But he'll lick ye, Alec; an' I 'canna bide it," said Annie, the tears
beginning to fill her eyes.
"Weel, I'll try--to please you, Annie," said Alec, seeing that the
little thing was in earnest.
How her heart bounded with delight! That great boy, so strong and so
brave, trying to learn a lesson to please her!
But it would not do.
"I canna min' a word o' 't, Annie. I'm dreidfu' hungry, forbye. I was
in a hurry wi' my brakfast the day. Gin I had kent what was comin', I
wad hae laid in a better stock," he added, laughing rather drearily.
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