"Does he think we're babies?" asked Don, indignantly.

"And did you see him trying to chop at recess?" (REE'cis, Hughie called
it.) "He couldn't hit twice in the same place."

"And he asked me if that beech there was a maple," said Bob Fraser, in
deep disgust.

"Oh, shut up your gab!" said Ranald, suddenly. "Give the man a chance,
anyway."

"Will YOU bring an excuse when you're absent, Ranald?" asked Hughie.

"And where would I be getting it?" asked Ranald, grimly, and all the
boys realized the absurdity of expecting a written excuse for Ranald's
absence from his father. Macdonald Dubh was not a man to be bothered
with such trifles.

"You might get it from your Aunt Kirsty, Ranald," said Don, slyly. The
boys shouted at the suggestion.

"And she could do it well enough if it would be necessary," said Ranald,
facing square round on Don, and throwing up his head after his manner
when battle was in the air, while the red blood showed in his dark cheek
and his eyes lit up with a fierce gleam. Don read the danger signal.

"I'm not saying she couldn't," he hurried to say, apologetically, "but
it would be funny, wouldn't it?"

"Well," said Ranald, relenting and smiling a little, "it would be