One afternoon, as Alec went home to dinner, he was considerably surprised to find Mr Malison leaning on one of the rails of the foot-bridge over the Glamour, looking down upon its frozen surface. There was nothing supernatural or alarming in this, seeing that, after school was over, Alec had run up the town to the saddler's, to get a new strap for one of his skates. What made the fact surprising was, that the scholars so seldom encountered the master anywhere except in school. Alec thought to pass, but the moment his foot was on the bridge the master lifted himself up, and faced round. "Well, Alec," he said, "where have _you_ been?" "To get a new strap for my skatcher," answered Alec. "You're fond of skating--are you, Alec?" "Yes, sir." "I used to be when I was a boy. Have you had your dinner?" "No, sir." "Then I suppose your mother has not dined, either?" "She never does till I go home, sir." "Then I won't intrude upon her. I did mean to call this afternoon." "She will be very glad to see you, sir. Come and take a share of what there is." "I think I had better not, Alec." "Do, sir. I am sure she will make you welcome." Mr Malison hesitated. Alec pressed him. He yielded; and they went along the road together. I shall not have to show much more than half of Mr Malison's life--the school half, which, both inwardly and outwardly, was very different from the other. The moment he was out of the school, the moment, that is, that he ceased for the day to be responsible for the moral and intellectual condition of his turbulent subjects, the whole character--certainly the whole deportment--of the man changed. He was now as meek and gentle in speech and behaviour as any mother could have desired. Nor was the change a hypocritical one. The master never interfered, or only upon the rarest occasions when pressure from without was brought to bear upon him, as in the case of Juno, with what the boys did out of school. He was glad enough to accept utter irresponsibility for that portion of his time; so that between the two parts of the day, as they passed through the life of the master, there was almost as little connection as between the waking and sleeping hours of a somnambulist.