“Precisely so. But you can exercise your judgment upon the principles whereon my opinion is founded, with far more benefit than upon my opinion itself--which I cannot well wish you to adopt, seeing I think it far better for a man to go wrong upon his own honest judgment, than to go right upon anybody else’s judgment, however honest also.” “Ye hae a heap o’ queer doctrines, sir.” “And yet you ask advice of me?” “We haena ta’en muckle, ony gait,” returned Bow-o’-meal rudely, and walked from the cottage. Jeames Gentle and Blue Peter bade the master a kindly good-night, and followed Bow-o’-meal. The next Sunday evening Blue Peter was again at the Alton, accompanied by Gentle and another fisherman, not Bow-o’-meal, and had another and longer conversation with the schoolmaster. The following Sunday he went yet again; and from that time, every Sunday evening, as soon as he had had his tea, Blue Peter took down his broad bonnet, and set out to visit Mr Graham. As he went, one and another would join him as he passed, the number increasing every time, until at last ten or twelve went regularly. But Mr Graham did not like such a forsaking of wives and children on the Sunday. “Why shouldn’t you bring Mrs Mair with you?” he said one evening, addressing Joseph first. Then turning to the rest--“I should be happy to see any of your wives who can come,” he added; “and some of you have children who would be no trouble. If there is any good in gathering this way, why shouldn’t we have those with us who are our best help at all other times?” “’Deed, sir,” said Joseph, “we’re sae used to oor wives ’at we’re ower ready to forget hoo ill we cud du wantin’ them.” Mrs Mair and two other wives came the next night. A few hung back from modesty and dread of being catechized; but ere long about half a dozen went when they could. I need hardly say that Malcolm, as soon as he learned what was going on, made one of the company. And truly, although he did not know even yet all the evil that threatened him, he stood in heavy need of the support and comfort to be derived from such truths as Mr Graham unfolded. Duncan also, although he took little interest in what passed, went sometimes, and was welcomed. The talk of the master not unfrequently lapsed into monologue, and sometimes grew eloquent. Seized occasionally by the might of the thoughts which arose in him,--thoughts which would, to him, have lost all their splendour as well as worth, had he imagined them the offspring of his own faculty, meteors of his own atmosphere instead of phenomena of the heavenly region manifesting themselves on the hollow side of the celestial sphere of human vision,--he would break forth in grand poetic speech that roused to aspiration Malcolm’s whole being, while in the same instant calming him with the summer peace of profoundest faith.