Thornton."

"How didst coom by him?" asked Tammas, nodding at the puppy.

"Found him," the little man replied, sucking his twig. "Found him
in ma stockin' on ma birthday. A present from ma leetle David for
his auld dad, I doot."

"So do I," said Tammas, and was seized with sudden spasm of
seemingly causeless merriment. For looking up as M'Adam was
speaking, he had caught a glimpse of a boy's fair head, peering
cautiously round the cow-shed, and, behind, the flutter of short
petti.. coats. They disappeared as silently as they had come; and
two small figures, just returned from school, glided away and
sought shelter in the friendly darkness of a coal-hole.

"Coom awa', Maggie, coom awa'! 'Tis th' owd un, 'isself,"
whispered a disrespectful voice.

M'Adam looked round suspiciously.

"What's that?" he asked sharply.

At the moment, however, Mrs. Moore put her head out of the
kitchen window.

"Coom thy ways in, Mister M'Adam, and tak' a soop o' tea," she
called hospitably.

"Thank ye kindly, Mrs. Moore, I will," he answered, politely for