“I’m not going to the school. I would not, even if Mr Stewart were coming back; and I am not needed at home, now that you are better, Hamish. You can do what is needed in the winter, so much of the wood is up; and, at any rate, I am going.”
Hamish entreated him to stay at home for his mother’s sake, or to choose some less dangerous occupation, if he must go away.
“Dangerous! Nonsense, Hamish! Why should it be more dangerous to me than to the rest? I cannot be a child all my life to please my mother and Shenac.”
“No; that is true,” said Hamish; “but neither can you be a man all at once to please yourself. You are neither old enough nor strong enough for such work as is done in the woods, whatever you may think.”
“There are younger lads going to the woods than I am,” muttered Dan sulkily.
“Yes; but they are not going to do men’s work nor get men’s wages. If you are wise, you will bide at home.”
But all that Hamish could get from Dan was a promise that he would not go, as he had first intended, without his mother’s leave. This was not easy to get, for the fate of Lewis might well fill the mother’s heart with terror for Dan, who was much younger than his brother had been. But she consented at last, and Shenac and Hamish set themselves to make the best of Dan’s going, for their mother’s sake.
“He’ll be in safe keeping with the Camerons, mother, and it will do him good to rough it a little. We’ll have him back in the spring, more of a man and easier to do with,” said Hamish.
But the mother was not easily comforted. Dan’s going brought too vividly back the going of those who had never returned; and the mother fretted and pined for the lad, and murmured sometimes that, if Shenac had been more forbearing with him, he might not have wanted to go. She did not know how she hurt her daughter, or she never would have said anything like that, for in her heart she knew that Shenac was not to blame for the waywardness of Dan. But Shenac did not defend herself, and the mother murmured on till the first letter came, saying that Dan was well and doing well, and then she was content.
About this time they had a visit from their Uncle Allister, their mother’s brother, in whose house Hamish had passed the summer. He brought his two daughters—pretty, cheerful girls—who determined between themselves, encouraged by Hamish, that they should carry off Shenac for a month’s visit when they went home. They succeeded too, though Shenac declared and believed it to be impossible that she should leave home, even up to the day before they went. The change did her a great deal of good. She came back much more like the Shenac of two years ago than she had seemed for a long time; and, as spring drew on, she could look forward to the labours of another summer without the miserable misgivings that had so vexed her in the fall. Indeed, now that Hamish was well, whether Dan came home or not, she felt sure of success, and of a quiet and happy summer for them all.