At first the boys would not move, still smarting and sulky from their father’s training-whip. But in a little they came, and Nell enticed them with the repeated promise of ’something for their private ear’ (the artful minx!), till she had them exactly opposite the little window where David was posted with his weapons of offence. Suddenly from the arrow-slot there came a discharge of artillery. The providence that helps the weak put pith and fusion into little David’s arm. As though it had been the smooth stone of the brook that sped whizzing to the brazen front of Goliath, the first moist shot of David’s ordnance plumped with a splash into the ear of Sandy. In an instant I lay upon the floor in the laughter which comes only from beholding silly things. For there below me were James and Sandy Kennedy each dancing upon the point of their shoon, and with their little fingers digging in their several ears to excavate from thence the well-compacted slush wherewith little David had taken his fitting revenge. Nor was the occupation made easier for them by the vexatious commentaries of their sister Nell, who repeated over and over again to them, between her bursts of laughter, ’Did I not tell you that if ye came to the corner of the tower ye would get something for your private ear? This will learn you to let wee Davie alane!’ *CHAPTER XVIII* *BAIRNS’ PLAY* There remains yet one other of their pranks to be told, and that only because it is knit into the story, and so must be unravelled along with it. The pair of elders, after this defeat at the hands of Nell and little David, took counsel together, and might sooner have hit upon something to their mind, but that James, as was usual with him, stood in an attitude of cogitation, having his mouth very wide open. Whereat Sandy, whose wits were brighter, could not, even for the sake of the alliance between them, refrain from dropping therein a snowball which he had ready in his hand for any purpose that might arise. This he did with the same neatness and adroitness with which he would have dropped a ball of worset yarn, when the caps were on the green for the game royal of Bonnet-Ba’. It took some time and a mighty deal of struggling on the ground before this treachery between friends could be arranged. Also much thrusting of snow down the backs of doublets and holding it there till it melted—together with other still more unseemly and uncomfortable proceedings. Then the reconciled allies entered the castle together, promising peace, and fell into talk with young Davie, who stood within the great door in the inviolate safety of the hall. ’Do you want a merk?’ said Sandy, tempting him with the sight of one, which at that day was great wealth. ’It will buy store of peaches, and pears, and baked apples at Baillie Underwood’s in the High Street, preserved cherries also, and marmalit of plums.’