Tommy knew what death was now, and Elspeth knew its name, and both were
vaguely aware that it was looking for their mother; but if she could
only hold out till Hogmanay, Tommy said, they would fleg it out of the
house. Hogmanay is the mighty winter festival of Thrums, and when it
came round these two were to give their mother a present that would make
her strong. It was not to be a porous plaster. Tommy knew now of
something better than that.

"And I knows too!" Elspeth gurgled, "and I has threepence a'ready, I
has."

"Whisht!" said Tommy, in an agony of dread, "she hears you, and she'll
guess. We ain't speaking of nothing to give to you at Hogmanay," he said
to his mother with great cunning. Then he winked at Elspeth and said,
with his hand over his mouth, "I hinna twopence!" and Elspeth, about to
cry in fright, "Have you spended it?" saw the joke and crowed instead,
"Nor yet has I threepence!"

They smirked together, until Tommy saw a change come over Elspeth's
face, which made him run her outside the door.

"You was a-going to pray!" he said, severely.

"'Cos it was a lie, Tommy. I does have threepence."

"Well, you ain't a-going to get praying about it. She would hear yer."

"I would do it low, Tommy."