notice saying that Miss Lashcairn desired the villagers to come to the
house next day if they wished a free joint of beef, as she had no
further use for her cattle. "As the beast in question is old," went on
the firm, precise writing, "the meat will be tough. But probably it is
quite worth consideration by those with large families."

Marcella was crying as she banged open the door of Wullie's hut.

"I thought ye'd be coming, Marcella," he said, looking at her with
mournful brown eyes that recalled Hoodie's. "Jock's wife's made ye a
seed cake to eat the day, and anither tae pack in yer grip. She says if
ye'll pit it intill a bit tin an' fasten it doon tight it'll maybe keep
till ye're at Australia. But I'm thenkin' she doesna rightly ken whaur
Australia is on the map."

"Oh, Wullie," cried Marcella, flinging herself down on the ground beside
him. "I feel as if I can't bear it all. Hoodie killed, and going to be
eaten, Jean going to Perth to live, and Aunt Janet all alone in the old
farm, living with the rats."

"Ye're awa' yersel', Marcella, mind," said Wullie gravely.

"Wullie, I wish I could explain. I don't want to go, really, but if I
don't I'm so afraid I'll get frozen up and dead. Oh, and acid drops,"
she added frantically.

"Eh?" he asked.

"Oh, that's nothing. Only something I was thinking," she said quickly.
"But I've got to go; only I hate to think of things being uprooted