How her heart bounded with delight! That great boy, so strong and so brave, trying to learn a lesson to please her!
But it would not do.
"I canna min' a word o' 't, Annie. I'm dreidfu' hungry, forbye. I was in a hurry wi' my brakfast the day. Gin I had kent what was comin', I wad hae laid in a better stock," he added, laughing rather drearily.
As he spoke he looked up; and his eyes wandered from one window to another for a few moments after he had ceased speaking.
"Na; it's no use," he resumed at last. "I hae eaten ower muckle for that, ony gait."
Annie was as pitiful over Alec's hunger as any mother over her child's. She felt it pure injustice that he should ever be hungry. But, unable to devise any help, she could only say,
"I dinna ken what ye mean, Alec."
"Whan I was na bigger than you, Annie, I could win oot at a less hole than that," answered he, and pointed to the open wooden pane in an upper corner of one the windows; "but I hae eaten ower muckle sin syne."
And he laughed again; but it was again an unsuccessful laugh.
Annie sprang to her feet.