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Meantime Ranald superintended the sap…boiling； keeping on the
opposite side of the fire from the ladies； and answering in
monosyllables any questions addressed to him。 But when it was time
to make the tea； Mrs。 Cameron and Kirsty insisted on taking charge
of this； and Mrs。 Murray； coming round to Ranald； said： 〃Now；
Ranald； I came to learn all about sugar…making； and while the
others are making tea； I want you to teach me how to make sugar。〃
Ranald gladly agreed to show her all he knew。 He had been feeling
awkward and miserable in the noisy crowd； but especially in the
presence of Maimie。 He had not forgotten the smile of amusement
with which she had greeted him at the manse； and his wounded pride
longed for an opportunity to pour upon her the vials of his
contempt。 But somehow； in her presence； contempt would not arise
within him； and he was driven into wretched silence and self…
abasement。 It was； therefore； with peculiar gratitude that he
turned to Mrs。 Murray as to one who both understood and trusted
him。
〃I thank you for the books； Mrs。 Murray；〃 he began； in a low；
hurried voice。 〃They are just wonderful。 That Rob Roy and
Ivanhoe； oh！ they are the grand books。〃 His face was fairly
blazing with enthusiasm。 〃I never knew there were such books at
all。〃
〃I am very glad you like them； Ranald；〃 said Mrs。 Murray； in tones
of warm sympathy； 〃and I shall give you as many as you like。〃
〃I cannot thank you enough。 I have not the words；〃 said the boy；
looking as if he might fall down at her feet。 Mrs。 Murray was
greatly touched both by his enthusiasm and his gratitude。
〃It is a great pleasure to me； Ranald； that you like them；〃 she
said； earnestly。 〃I want you to love good books and good men and
noble deeds。〃
Ranald stood listening in silence。
〃Then some day you will be a good and great man yourself；〃 she
added； 〃and you will do some noble work。〃
The boy stood looking far away into the woods； his black eyes
filled with a mysterious fire。 Suddenly he threw back his head and
said； as if he had forgotten Mrs。 Murray's presence； 〃Yes； some day
I will be a great man。 I know it well。〃
〃And good；〃 softly added Mrs。 Murray。
He turned and looked at her a moment as if in a dream。 Then；
recalling himself； he answered； 〃I suppose that is the best。〃
〃Yes； it is the best； Ranald；〃 she replied。 〃No man is great who
is not good。 But come now and give me my lesson。〃
Ranald stepped out into the bush； and from a tree near by he lifted
a trough of sap and emptied it into the big kettle。
〃That's the first thing you do with the sap；〃 he said。
〃How？ Carry every trough to the kettle？〃
〃Oh； I see；〃 laughed Ranald。 〃You must have every step。〃
〃Yes； indeed；〃 she replied； with determination。
〃Well； here it is。〃
He seized a bucket； went to another tree； emptied the sap from the
trough into the bucket； and thence into the barrel； and from the
barrel into the big kettle。
〃Then from the big kettle into the little one；〃 he said； catching
up a big dipper tied to a long pole； and transferring the boiling
sap as he spoke from one kettle to another。
〃But how can you tell when it is ready？〃 asked Mrs。 Murray。
〃Only by tasting。 When it is very sweet it must go into the little
kettle。〃
〃And then？〃
Her eager determination to know all the details delighted him
beyond measure。
〃Then you must be very careful indeed； or you will lose all your
day's work； and your sugar besides； for it is very easy to burn。〃
〃But how can you tell when it is ready？〃
〃Oh； you must just keep tasting every few minutes till you think
you have the syrup； and then for the sugar you must just boil it a
little longer。〃
〃Well；〃 said Mrs。 Murray； 〃when it is ready what do you do？〃
〃Then；〃 he said； 〃you must quickly knock the fire from under it；
and pour it into the pans； stirring it till it gets nearly cool。〃
〃And why do you stir it？〃 she asked。
〃Oh； to keep it from getting too hard。〃
〃Now I have learned something I never knew before；〃 said the
minister's wife； delightedly； 〃and I am very grateful to you。
We must help each other； Ranald。〃
〃Indeed； it is little I can do for you；〃 he said； shyly。
〃You do not know how much I am going to ask you to do；〃 she said；
lightly。 〃Wait and see。〃
At that moment a series of shrieks rose high above the shouting and
laughter of the games； and Maimie came flying down toward the camp；
pursued by Don； with the others following。
〃Oh； auntie！〃 she panted； he's going togoing to〃 she paused；
with cheeks burning。
〃It's forfeits； Mrs。 Murray；〃 explained Don。
〃Hoot； lassie；〃 said Mrs。 Cameron； 〃it will not much hurt you；
anyway。 They that kiss in the light will not kiss in the dark。〃
〃She played； and lost her forfeit；〃 said Don； unwilling to be
jeered at by the others for faint…heartedness。 〃She ought to pay。〃
〃I'm afraid； Don； she does not understand our ways；〃 said Mrs。
Murray； apologetically。
〃Be off； Don；〃 said his mother。 〃Kiss Marget there； if you canit
will not hurt herand leave the young lady alone。〃
〃It's just horrid of them； auntie；〃 said Maimie； indignantly； as
the others went back to their games。
〃Indeed；〃 said Mrs。 Cameron； warmly； 〃if you will never do worse
than kiss a laddie in a game； it's little harm will be coming to
you。〃
But Maimie ignored her。
〃Is it not horrid； auntie？〃 she said。
〃Well； my dear； if you think so； it is。 But not for these girls；
who play the game with never a thought of impropriety and with no
shock to their modesty。 Much depends on how you think about these
things。〃
But Maimie was not satisfied。 She was indignant at Don for
offering to kiss her； but as she stood and watched the games going
on under the treesthe tag； the chase； the catch； and the kiss
she somehow began to feel as if it were not so terrible after all；
and to think that perhaps these girls might play the game and still
be nice enough。 But she had no thought of going back to them； and
so she turned her attention to the preparations for tea； now almost
complete。 Her aunt and Ranald were toasting slices of bread at the
big blazing fire； on forks made out of long switches。
〃Let me try； auntie；〃 she said； pushing up to the fire between her
aunt and Ranald。 〃I am sure I can do that。〃
〃Be careful of that fire；〃 said Ranald； sharply； pulling back her
skirt； that had blown dangerously near the blaze。 〃Stand back
further；〃 he commanded。
Mamie looked at him； surprise； indignation； and fear struggling
for the mastery。 Was this the awkward boy that had blushed and
stammered before her a week ago？
〃It's very dangerous；〃 he explained to Mrs。 Murray； 〃the wind blows
out the flames。〃
As he spoke he handed Maimie his toasting stick and retired to the
other side of the fire； and began to attend to the boiling sap。
〃He needn't be such a bear；〃 pouted Maimie。
〃My dear；〃 replied her aunt； 〃what Ranald says is quite true。 You
cannot be too careful in moving about the fire。〃
〃Well； he needn't be so cross about it；〃 said Maimie。 She had
never been ordered about before in her life； and she did not enjoy
the experience； and all the more at the hands of an uncouth country
boy。 She watched Ranald attending to the fire and the kettles；
however； with a new respect。 He certainly had no fear of the fire；
but moved about it and handled it with the utmost sang…froid。 He
had a certain grace； too； in his movements that caught her eye； and
she wished he would come nearer so that she could speak to him。
She had considerable confidence in her powers of attraction。 As if
to answer her wish； Ranald came straight to where her aunt and she
were standing。
〃I think it will be time for tea now；〃 he said； with a sudden
return of his awkward manner； that made Maimie wonder why she had
ever been afraid of him。 〃I will tell Don；〃 he added； striding off
toward the group of boys and girls； still busy with their games
under the trees。
Soon Don's shout was heard： 〃Tea； ladies and gentlemen； take your
seats at the tables。〃 And speedily there was a rush and scramble；
and in a few moments the great heaps of green balsam boughs
arranged around the fire were full of boys and girls pulling；
pinching； and tumbling over one another in wild glee。
The toast stood in brown heaps on birch…bark plates beside the
fire； and baskets were carried out of the shanty bulging with
cakes； the tea was bubbling in the big tin tea…pail； and everything
was ready for the feast。 But Ranald had caught Mrs。 Murray's eye；
and at a sign from her； stood waiting with the tea…pail in his
hand。
〃Come on with the tea； Ranald；〃 cried Don； seizing a plate of
toast。
〃Wait a minute； Don；〃 said Ranald； in a low tone。
〃What's the matter？〃
But Ranald stood still； looking silently at the minister's wife。
Then； as all eyes turned toward her； she said； in a gentle； sweet
voice； 〃I think we ought to give thanks to our Father in heaven for
all this beauty about us and for all our joy。〃
At once Ranald took off his hat； and as the boys followed his
example； Mrs。 Murray bowed her head and in a few； simple words
lifted up the hearts of all with her own in thanksgiving fo