When the master appeared at the top of the lane the fight came to a close; and as he entered the school, the group round the fire broke up and dispersed. Alec, having entered close behind the master, overtook Annie as she went to her seat, for he had observed, as she ran into the school, that she was lame--indeed limping considerably. "What's the maitter wi' ye, Annie?" he said. "What gars ye hirple?" "Juno bitet me," answered Annie. "Ay! Verra weel!" returned Alec, in a tone that had more meaning than the words. Soon after the Bible-class was over, and they had all taken their seats, a strange quiet stir and excitement gradually arose, like the first motions of a whirlpool at the turn of the tide. The master became aware of more than the usual flitting to and fro amongst the boys, just like the coming and going which preludes the swarming of bees. But as he had little or no constructive power, he never saw beyond the symptoms. They were to him mere isolated facts, signifying present disorder. "John Morison, go to your seat," he cried. John went. "Robert Rennie, go to your seat." Robert went. And this continued till, six having been thus passed by, and a seventh appearing three forms from his own, the master, who seldom stood it so long, could stand it no longer. The _tag_ was thrown, and a _licking_ followed, making matters a little better from the master's point of view. Now I will try to give, from the scholars' side, a peep of what passed. As soon as he was fairly seated, Alec said in a low voice across the double desk to one of the boys opposite, calling him by his nickname, "I say, Divot, do ye ken Juno?" "Maybe no!" answered Divot. "But gin I dinna, my left leg dis." "I thocht ye kent the shape o' her teeth, man. Jist gie Scrumpie there a dig i' the ribs." "What are ye efter, Divot? I'll gie ye a cloot o' the lug," growled Scrumpie. "Hoot man! The General wants ye." _The General_ was Alec's nickname. "What is't, General?" "Do ye ken Juno?" "Hang the bitch! I ken her ower weel. She took her denner aff o' ane o' my hips, ae day last year." "Jist creep ower to Cadger there, and speir gin he kens Juno. Maybe he's forgotten her." Cadger's reply was interrupted by the interference of the master, but a pantomimic gesture conveyed to the General sufficient assurance of the retentiveness of Cadger's memory in regard to Juno and her favours. Such messages and replies, notwithstanding more than one licking, kept passing the whole of the morning.