shaken. "It would have been terrible to see him die before our eyes."

"Who saved Nestie?" Bulldog's face was white, and Jock declared afterwards that there were tears in his eyes.

“It was one of the boys, sir, and it was a gallant deed,” answered Robertson; "but I can't give his name, because he made me promise not to tell."

The master looked around the school, and there was a flush on his cheek. "John Howieson," with a voice that knew no refusal, and Jock stood in his place. "Give me the laddie's name who saved Nestie."

"It was Speug [Sparrow], sir, and it was michty; but I wouldna hae telt had ye no asked, and it's no my blame," and Jock cast a deprecatory glance where Peter was striving to hide himself behind a slate.

"Peter McGuffie, come out this moment," and Peter, who had obeyed this order in other circumstances with an immovable countenance, now presented the face of one who had broken a till.

"Tell the story, Duncan Robertson, every word of it, that each laddie in this room may remember it as lang as he lives." "We had nearly all dressed, and some of us had started for school, . . . and when I got back McGuffie had jumped and was out in the current waiting for Nestie to come up. We saw his face at last, white on the water, and shouted to Peter, and . . . he had him in a minute, and . . . made for shore; big swimming, sir; not one of us could have done it except himself. A salmon-fisher showed us how to rub Nestie till he came round, and . . . he smiled to us, and said, 'I'm all right; sorry to trouble you chaps.' Then we ran as hard as we could, and . . . that's all, sir."

"No, it isn't, Duncan Robertson," suddenly broke out Speug, goaded beyond endurance; “ye helped oot Nestie yourself, and you're. as muckle tae blame as I am."

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"All I did, sir,”—and Robertson's face was burning red,— was to meet Peter and take Nestie off his hands quite near the bank; he had the danger; I . . . did nothing was too late, in fact, to be of use."

Speug might have contested this barefaced attempt at exculpation, but Bulldog was himself again and gripped the reins of authority.

"Silence!" and his emotion found vent in thunder; "no arguing in my presence. You're an impudent fellow, Peter McGuffie, and have been all your days, the most troublesome, mischievous, upsetting laddie in Muirtown School," and the culprit's whole mien was that of a dog with a bad conscience. "And now you must needs put the capper on the concern with this business!

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There's no use denying it, Peter, for the evidence is plain -and now Bulldog began to speak with great deliberation. "You saw a little laddie out of his depth and likely to be drowned." (Peter dared not lift his head; it was going to

be a bad case.)

"You micht have given the alarm and got the salmonfisher, but, instead of acting like ony quiet, decent, well-broughtup laddie, and walking down to the school in time for geometry" (the school believed that the master's eye rested on William Dowbiggin), "you jumped clothes and all into the Tay." (There was evidently no extenuating feature, and Peter's expression was helpless.)

"Nor was that all. But the wicked speerit that's in you, Peter McGuffie, made you swim out where the river was run

ning strongest and an able-bodied man wouldna care to go. And what for did you forget yourself and risk your life?" But there was no bravery left in Peter to answer.

"Just to save an orphan laddie frae a watery death. And you did it, Peter; and it . . . beats anything else you've done since you came into Muirtown Seminary. As for you, Duncan Robertson, you may say what you like, but it's my opinion that you're no one grain better.

"Peter got in first, for he's a perfect genius for mischief— he's aye on the spot-but you were after him as soon as you could you're art and part, baith o' you, in the exploit." It was clear now that Dunc was in the same condemnation and would share the same reward; whereat Peter's heart was lifted, for Robertson's treachery cried for judgment.

"Boys of Muirtown, do you see those tablets?"-and Bulldog pointed to the lists in gold of the former pupils who had distinguished themselves over the world-prizemen, soldiers, travelers, writers, preachers, lawyers, doctors. "It's a grand roll, and an honor to have a place in it, and there are two new names to be added.

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Laddies "—and Bulldog came down from his desk and stood opposite the culprits, whose one wish was that the floor might open beneath them and swallow them up—" you are the sons of men, and I know that you had the beginnings of men in you. I am proud to shake hands with you, and to be your master. Be off this instant, run like mad to your homes and change your clothes, and be back inside half an hour, or it will be the worse for you! And, look you here, I would like to know . . . how Nestie is."

His walk through the room was always full of majesty, but on that day it passed imagination, and from time to time he could

be heard in a soliloquy, "A pair of young rascals! Men of their hands, though, men of their hands! Their fathers' sons! Well done, Peter!" To which the benches listened with awe, for never had they known Bulldog after this fashion.

When the school assembled on the next Monday morning the boys read in fresh, shining letters

"Peter McGuffie, and Duncan R. S. Robertson, who at the risk of their own lives saved a schoolfellow from drowning,"

JOHN WATSON.

prom"e-nade', to walk about.
ex'em-pla-ry, of correct habits.
ob-scur'i-ty, state of being unseen.
ju-di'cial, pertaining to a judge.
un" con-cealed', shown openly.
dep're-ca-to-ry, beseeching.
goad'ed, urged on.

con-test'ed, striven for.

ex"cul-pa'tion, a freeing from blame.

ex-ten'u-a"ting, serving as an ex

cuse.

con"dem-na'tion, blame; censure.
treach'er-y, bad faith.

culprit, one guilty of an offense.
so-lil'o-quy, speech made to one's
self.

in-dul'gence, a yielding to one's
wishes.

IAN MACLAREN (1849- ) is the pen-name of the Rev. John Watson, a Scottish clergyman and novelist. He was born in England, but is pure Scotch for all that. His education was received at Edinburgh, where also he studied for the ministry. He is now the minister of a Presbyterian church in Liverpool. "Beside the Bonnie Brier-Bush" is his most famous book. In it he tells stories of mixed humor and pathos about life in a rural district of Scotland. He calls the district Drumtochty. Since the book has become so famous, Perthshire, where Mr. Watson had his first charge as a minister, has come to be called Drumtochty. "The Days of Auld Lang Syne" is also popular. The story of Muirtown Seminary Boys is from "Young Barbarians," one of Mr. Watson's books that young readers will enjoy.

Write a real or an imaginary story telling how some one's life was saved.

CONCORD HYMN

By the rude bridge that arched the flood,
The flag to April's breeze unfurled,
Here once the embattled farmers stood,
And fired the shot heard round the world.

The foe long since in silence slept;

Alike the conqueror silent sleeps;

And Time the ruined bridge has swept

Down the dark stream which seaward creeps.

On this green bank, by this soft stream,
We set to-day a votive stone;

That memory may their deed redeem,
When, like our sires, our sons are gone.

Spirit, that made those heroes dare

To die, and leave their children free,
Bid Time and Nature gently spare
The shaft we raise to them and thee.

vo'tive, given by vow.

RALPH WALDO EMERSON.

| re-deem', atone for.

RALPH WALDO EMERSON (1803-82), was born in Boston, and was educated at Harvard College. He taught school, and later became a minister, but he is better known as a writer than as a preacher. His works, which have had a great influence on the literature of America, consist largely of essays and poems. "Concord Hymn" was sung at the completion of the Battle Monument, April 19, 1836.