'No doubt of it. What did you say to him?' 'I tellt him 'at hoo I didna think ye wad hae ta'en sae muckle fash gin ye hadna had some houps o' the kin' aboot him.' 'You said well. Tell him from me that I expect him to be a gentleman. And by the way, Robert, do try a little, as I think I said to you once before, to speak English. I don't mean that you should give up Scotch, you know.' 'Weel, sir, I hae been tryin'; but what am I to do whan ye speyk to me as gin ye war my ain father? I canna min' upo' a word o' English whan ye do that.' Dr. Anderson laughed, but his eyes glittered. Robert found Shargar busy over his Latin version. With a 'Weel, Shargar,' he took his books and sat down. A few moments after, Shargar lifted his head, stared a while at Robert, and then said, 'Duv you railly think it, Robert?' 'Think what? What are ye haverin' at, ye gowk?' 'Duv ye think 'at I ever could grow intil a gentleman?' 'Dr. Anderson says he expecs 't o' ye.' 'Eh, man!' A long pause followed, and Shargar spoke again. 'Hoo am I to begin, Robert?' 'Begin what?' 'To be a gentleman.' Robert scratched his head, like Brutus, and at length became oracular. 'Speyk the truth,' he said. 'I'll do that. But what aboot--my father?' 'Naebody 'ill cast up yer father to ye. Ye need hae nae fear o' that.' 'My mither, than?' suggested Shargar, with hesitation. 'Ye maun haud yer face to the fac'.' 'Ay, ay. But gin they said onything, ye ken--aboot her.' 'Gin ony man-body says a word agen yer mither, ye maun jist knock him doon upo' the spot.' 'But I michtna be able.' 'Ye could try, ony gait.' 'He micht knock me down, ye ken.' 'Weel, gae doon than.' 'Ay.' This was all the instruction Robert ever gave Shargar in the duties of a gentleman. And I doubt whether Shargar sought further enlightenment by direct question of any one. He worked harder than ever; grew cleanly in his person, even to fastidiousness; tried to speak English; and a wonderful change gradually, but rapidly, passed over his outer man. He grew taller and stronger, and as he grew stronger, his legs grew straighter, till the defect of approximating knees, the consequence of hardship, all but vanished. His hair became darker, and the albino look less remarkable, though still he would remind one of a vegetable grown in a cellar. Dr. Anderson thought it well that he should have another year at the grammar-school before going to college.--Robert now occupied Ericson's room, and left his own to Shargar. Robert heard every week from Miss St. John about Ericson. Her reports varied much; but on the whole he got a little better as the winter went on. She said that the good women at The Boar's Head paid him every attention: she did not say that almost the only way to get him to eat was to carry him delicacies which she had prepared with her own hands.