cular friend-at least from utility and necessity.

The last we shall notice is Sandy Girmour. His father was a shopkeeper in the town, of the same description with Mr. Kiniven, though of a less agreeable and more worldly disposition. Sandy was a boy of rather a peculiar disposition. One might conclude, from the paleness and simplicity of his countenance, and the apparent weakness of his constitution, that he would have no inclination to expose himself in the mischievous scenes of his schoolfellows. Although he was incapable of doing any mischief himself, yet when he happened to be present when mischief was committed, he was sure to be singled out by Stays Maclachlan as the culprit, and punished accordingly. Any declaration he could make of his innocence was never considered a sufficient exculpation to his teacher, Mr. Anthony Black. Sandy was a favourite of James, and though

he sometimes pitied the cruelty of his treatment, yet he wanted the fortitude and influence to oppose it.

A more distinct idea of the characters of these boys may be gained from the following conversation between Stuart Kiniven and Colin Dowell.

"What is the reason," said Stuart to Colin Dowell, on an evening he happened to be in his company at Purly-knoll, "that you do not associate with any of our schoolfellows but myself? I do not know how you take a pleasure in my company in preference to Stays Maclachlan or Richard Valeburn, who are born and bred gentlemen, and much fitter to be your companions than me, who am but a poor man's son."

"You are moralizing now, Stuart,” said Colin, laughing: "without flattery, the more I know of you, the better I like you. Were every one at school as candid and good as you are, I certainly would have more acquaintances; but as it is, I have

only yourself, and I sincerely assure you

I would not wish to have a better. Richard Valeburn is a fine fellow, but rather too fond of play to make a good scholar. Had you not been in school, I would have formed a closer connexion with Richard, rather than remain altogether singular; but as to Stays Maclachlan, I think you will agree with me, me, that he is a foolish fellow-incessantly talking and making noise in school, and quarrelling with the boys when out of it. His example, I have reason to be thankful, produced a very different impression on me than what it has apparently made on others. Of all boys, Stays Maclachlan is the last person I would make an acquaintance of."

"It is perhaps somewhat improper," said Stuart," in you and I, who are yet but mere boys, to be criticising and censuring the conduct of our schoolfellows."

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Nay," interrupted Colin, " that is not the case I should be sorry were you to

suppose any thing that I say to be given by way of judgment, which would certainly be improper; but there is no harm in you or I expressing simply our opinions to each other of their conduct."

"I do not believe there is any great harm in it,” said Stuart; " but I have always been accustomed to follow the dictates of my father in these respects—that if I had nothing good to say of my comrades, I should say nothing ill of them. He that keeps his mind keeps his friend. But what you say concerning our schoolfellows I must admit to be truth. And if I am not misinformed, there will be something not much to their credit decided to-morrow. I was told by James this morning of an affair in which they were engaged last night, and which exhibits such cruelty and depravity, that had I received the intelligence from any other person, I should hardly have believed it. Our reserved habits with our schoolfellows render us ignorant of their man

œuvres.

You remember remarking the

other day how often little Girmour was punished, and you said his countenance deceived you much, as you considered him, of all boys, the last who would be given to mischief. You were right: the poor boy has been punished for many faults not of his own commission. The stupid fellow never keeps out of harm's way, and if any blame is attached to the proceedings of his companions, he is singled out by Stays Maclachlan as the cause or actor, or part actor, and punished accordingly. But a systematic plan of deeper villany has been laid to ruin the boy altogether. A small stack of hay, belonging to Hoof, the cowfeeder, which lay in the park behind the school-house, was last night destroyed. Stays and my brother James, who happen somehow or other to be on terms of intimacy, had a walk this morning to the place where it lay, and he privately informed him that it was done by him and some others who were in his company on the way to