“And you could trust her with Allison, and Robin might meet them and carry the child home,” said the minister.
Mrs Hume turned to him in surprise. When the minister sat down in the parlour to take a half-hour’s recreation with a book, he became, as far as could be observed, quite unconscious of all that might be going on around him, which was a fortunate circumstance for all concerned, considering the dimensions of the house, and the number of people in it. But never a word, which touched his little daughter, escaped him, however much his book might interest him.
“You would take good care of her, Allison?” repeated he.
“Ay, that I would.”
“If it were a possible thing that she could go I would not be afraid to trust her with Allison. But the risk of harm would be greater than the good she could get, or the pleasure.”
“It is a long road, and I doubt ye might weary, Allison,” said the minister.
“I hae carried hame lost lammies, two, and whiles three o’ them, a langer road over the hills than the road to the Stanin’ Stanes. Ay, whiles I grew weary, but what of that?” said Allison, with an animation of face and voice that astonished them both.
“Well! We’ll sleep on it. A wise plan at most times when doubtful questions are being considered.”
And who could measure the delight of the child when it was told her that she was to go to the hills with the rest? If her mother were still only half convinced of the wisdom of the measure, she did not suffer her anxiety to appear in a way to spoil her little daughter’s pleasure. And Marjorie moderated her raptures and was wonderfully quiet and unexcited while all preparations were going on. Nor did she show impatience when she had still some time to wait after her little brothers had set out to join the other bairns at the school.
The mistress was to have the help of some of the elder girls in marshalling the little lads and lassies, and in encouraging them through the rather long, tramp up the hills. Allison, who had been busy from early morning, and had still something to do, assured the child that it would only be a weariness for them both if she were obliged to measure her steps by those of the bairns, and that they would reach the Stanin’ Stanes before them; though they gave them a whiles start.