“Nor me either, Harry, for I have something to do,” said Agnes; “and besides, I don’t want to be an hour or two in Stirling. Go yourself, and take the children; and Dragon thinks, Harry, that Violet’s pony should be put to the little old gig to take them to school, for they cannot walk always, Dragon says; and it won’t do to have a pillion, as Lettie proposed.” “But, Harry, I think it would, and Katie thinks it would,” said Violet, eagerly; “and I would ride behind the one day, and Katie the other. And what way could we no do as well as the lady in young Lochinvar?” “The lady in young Lochinvar did not run away every day, or I dare say even she might have preferred a gig,” said Harry. “And besides, she had no pillion. I think we must have another pony for Katie--that will be the best plan.” “Eh, Violet!” Little Katie Calder looked down at her printed chintz frock, and struggled to restrain the laugh of delight which was quite irrestrainable; for Katie had other frocks now much grander than the chintz one, and the little handmaiden of Miss Jean believed devoutly that she had come to live in fairy-land. Their school was about two miles off, on the Stirling road--a famous _genteel_ school for young lady boarders, where only these two little strangers were admitted as day scholars, because “Allenders” was landlord of the house. Violet and Katie dined with the young ladies at Blaelodge, besides having lessons with them; and they were being practically trained into the “manners” for which good, stiff, kindly Miss Inglis was renowned. On this particular morning the children ran to their room for their bonnets, and collected their books from the sunny window in the hall, just beside the door, which they had chosen for their study, with a considerable flutter of excitement; for to have “the carriage” stop at Blaelodge, and Harry himself, the most dignified of mortal men in the eyes of both, seen by all the young ladies at all the windows taking care of them, was quite an overwhelming piece of grandeur. “He’ll take off his hat to Miss Inglis,” said Katie, reverentially, “I saw him do that once, Violet, to the minister’s wife.” “Eh, I’ve lost my grammar,” said Violet in dismay. “Katie, do you mind where we had it last? And there’s Harry ready at the door.” “When we were sitting on the steps at Dragon’s room last night,” said the accurate Katie, “yes, I ken; and I’ll run, Lettie.” “I’ll run myself,” said Violet stoutly; and there immediately followed a race across the lawn, which Lettie, being most impetuous, threatened at first to win, but which was eventually carried by the steadier speed of Katie Calder. The Dragon himself, taking long, feeble, tremulous strides over the dewy turf, met them half way, carrying the lost grammar.