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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