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older; he gave to Ranald a homage almost amounting to worship; for
in all those qualities that go to establish leadership among boys;
Ranald was easily first。  In the sport that called for speed;
courage; and endurance Ranald was chief of all。  Fleet of foot;
there was no runner from the Twelfth to the Twentieth that could
keep him in sight; and when he stood up to fight; the mere blaze of
his eyes often won him victory before a blow was struck。  To Don;
Ranald opened his heart more than to any one else; all others he
kept at a distance。

It was in vain that Mrs。 Murray; in her daily visits to Macdonald
Dubh; sought to find out Ranald and to come to speech with him。
Aunt Kirsty never knew where he was; and to her calls; long and
loud; from the back door and from the front; no response ever came。
It was Hughie Murray who finally brought Ranald once more into
touch with the minister's wife。

They had come one early morning; Hughie with Fido 〃hitched〃 in a
sled driving over the 〃crust〃 on the snow banks by the roadside;
and his mother on the pony; to make their call upon the sick man。
As they drew near the house they heard a sound of hammering。

〃That's Ranald; mother!〃 exclaimed Hughie。  〃Let me go and find
him。  I don't want to go in。〃

〃Be sure you don't go far away; then; Hughie; you know we must
hurry home to…day〃; and Hughie faithfully promised。  But alas for
Hughie's promises! when his mother came out of the house with
Kirsty; he was within neither sight nor hearing。

〃They will just be at the camp;〃 said Kirsty。

〃The camp?〃

〃Aye; the sugaring camp down yonder in the sugar bush。  It is not
far off from the wood road。  I will be going with you。〃

〃Not at all; Kirsty;〃 said the minister's wife。  〃I think I know
where it is; and I can go home that way quite well。  Besides; I
want to see Ranald。〃  She did not say she would rather see him
alone。

〃Indeed; he is the quare lad; and he is worse since coming back
from the shanties。〃  Kirsty was evidently much worried about
Ranald。

〃Never mind;〃 said the minister's wife; kindly; 〃we must just be
patient。  Ranald is going on fast toward manhood; and he can be
held only by the heart。〃

〃Aye;〃 said Kirsty; with a sigh; 〃I doubt his father will never be
able any more to take a strap to him。〃

〃Yes;〃 said Mrs。 Murray; smiling; 〃I'm afraid he is far beyond
that。〃

〃Beyond it!〃 exclaimed Kirsty; astonished at such a doctrine。
〃Indeed; and his father and his uncle would be getting it then;
when they were as beeg as they will ever be; and much the better
were they for it。〃

〃I don't think it would do for Ranald;〃 said the minister's wife;
smiling again as she said good by to Kirsty。  Then she took her way
down the wood road into the bush。  She found the camp road easily;
and after a quarter of an hour's ride; she heard the sound of an
ax; and soon came upon the sugar camp。  Ranald was putting the
finishing touches to a little shanty of cedar poles and interwoven
balsam brush; and Hughie was looking on in admiration and blissful
delight。

〃Why; that's beautiful;〃 said Mrs。 Murray; 〃I should like to live
in a house like that myself。〃

〃Oh; mother!〃 shouted Hughie; 〃isn't it splendid?  Ranald and Don
are going to live in it all the sugaring time; and Ranald wants me
to come; too。  Mayn't I; mother?  Aw; do let me。〃

The mother looked down upon the eager face; smiled; and shook her
head。  〃What about the night; Hughie?〃 she said。  〃It will be very
dark in the woods here; and very cold; too。  Ranald and Don are big
boys and strong; but I'm afraid my little boy would not be very
comfortable sleeping outside。〃

〃Oh; mother; we'll be inside; and it'll be awful warmand oh; you
might let me!〃  Hughie's tears were restrained only by the shame of
weeping before his hero; Ranald。

〃Well; we will see what your father says when he comes home。〃

〃Oh; mother; he will just say 'no' right off; and〃

A shadow crossed his mother's face; but she only answered quietly;
〃Never mind just now; Hughie; we will think of it。  Besides;〃 she
added; 〃I don't know how much Ranald wants to be bothered with a
wee boy like you。〃

Ranald gave her a quick; shy glance and answered:

〃He will be no trouble; Mrs。 Murray〃; and then; noticing Hughie's
imploring face; he ventured to add; 〃and indeed; I hope you will
let him come。  I will take good care of him。〃

Mrs。 Murray hesitated。

〃Oh; mother!〃 cried Hughie; seeing her hesitation; 〃just one night;
I won't be a bit afraid。〃

〃No; I don't believe you would;〃 looking down into the brave young
face。  〃But what about your mother; Hughie?〃

〃Oh; pshaw! you wouldn't be afraid。〃  Hughie's confidence in his
mother's courage was unbounded。

〃I don't know about that;〃 she replied; and then turning to Ranald;
〃How about our friends of the other night?〃 she said。  〃Will they
not be about?〃  Hughie had not heard about the wolves。

〃Oh; there is no fear of them。  We will keep a big fire all night;
and besides; we will have our guns and the dogs。〃

〃Guns!〃 cried Mrs。 Murray。  This was a new terror for her boy。
〃I'm afraid I cannot trust Hughie where there are guns。  He might〃

〃Indeed; let me catch him touching a gun!〃 said Ranald; quickly;
and from his tone and the look in his face; Mrs。 Murray felt sure
that Hughie would be safe from self…destruction by the guns。

〃Well; well; come away; Hughie; and we will see;〃 said Mrs。 Murray;
but Hughie hung back sulking; unwilling to move till he had got his
mother's promise。

〃Come; Hughie。  Get Fido ready。  We must hurry;〃 said his mother
again。

Still Hughie hesitated。  Then Ranald turned swiftly on him。  〃Did
ye hear your mother?  Come; get out of this。〃  His manner was so
fierce that Hughie started immediately for his dog; and without
another word of entreaty made ready to go。  The mother noted his
quick obedience; and smiling at Ranald; said:  〃I think I might
trust him with you for a night or two; Ranald。  When do you think
you could come for him?〃

〃We will finish the tapping to…morrow; and I could come the day
after with the jumper;〃 said Ranald; pointing to the stout; home…
made sleigh used for gathering the sap and the wood for the fire。

〃Oh; I see you have begun tapping;〃 said Mrs。 Murray; 〃and do you
do it yourself?〃

〃Why; yes; mother; don't you see all those trees?〃 cried Hughie;
pointing to a number of maples that stood behind the shanty。
〃Ranald and Don did all those; and made the spiles; too。  See!〃  He
caught up a spile from a heap lying near the door。  〃Ranald made
all these。〃

〃Why; that's fine; Ranald。  How do you make them?  I have never
seen one made。〃

〃Oh; mother!〃  Hughie's voice was full of pity for her ignorance。
He had seen his first that afternoon。

〃And I have never seen the tapping of a tree。  I believe I shall
learn just now; if Ranald will only show me; from the very
beginning。〃

Her eager interest in his work won Ranald from his reserve。  〃There
is not much to see;〃 he said; apologetically。  〃You just cut a
natch in the tree; and drive in the spile; and〃

〃Oh; but wait;〃 she cried。  〃That's just what I wanted to see。  How
do you make the spile?〃

〃Oh; that is easy;〃 said Ranald。  He took up a slightly concave
chisel or gouge; and slit a slim slab from off a block of cedar
about a foot long。

〃This is a spile;〃 he exclaimed。  〃We drive it into the tree; and
the sap runs down into the trough; you see。〃

〃No; I don't see;〃 said the minister's wife。  She was too
thoroughgoing to do things by halves。  〃How do you drive this into
the tree; and how do you get the sap to run down it?〃

〃I will show you;〃 he said; and taking with him a gouge and ax; he
approached a maple still untapped。  〃You first make a gash like
this。〃  So saying; with two or three blows of his ax; he made a
slanting notch in the tree。  〃And then you make a place for the
spile this way。〃  With the back of his ax he drove his gouge into
the corner of the notch; and then fitted his spile into the
incision so made。

〃Ah; now I see。  And you put the trough under the drip from the
spile。  But how do you make the troughs?〃

〃I did not make them;〃 said Ranald。  〃Some of them father made; and
some of them belong to the Camerons。  But it is easy enough。  You
just take a thick slab of basswood and hollow it out with the
adze。〃

Mrs。 Murray was greatly pleased。  〃I'm very much obliged to you;
Ranald;〃 she said; 〃and I am glad I came down to see your camp。
Now; if you will ask me; I should like to see you make the sugar。〃
Had her request been made before the night of their famous ride;
Ranald would have found some polite reason for refusal; but now
he was rather surprised to find himself urging her to come to a
sugaring…off at the close of the season。

〃I shall be delighted to come;〃 cried Mrs。 Murray; 〃and it is very
good of you to ask me; and I shall bring my niece; who is coming
with Mr。 Murray from town to spend some weeks with me。〃

Ranald's face fell; but his Highland courtesy forbade retreat。  〃If
she would care;〃 he said; doubtfully。

〃Oh; I am sure she would be very glad!  She has never been outside
of the city; and I want her to learn all she can of the cou

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