catholic in his recognition of "pairts," and when the son of
Hillocks' foreman made a collection of the insects of Drumtochty,
there was a council at the manse. "Bumbee Willie," as he had been
pleasantly called by his companions, was rescued from ridicule and
encouraged to fulfil his bent. Once a year a long letter came to Mr.
Patrick Jamieson, M.A., Schoolmaster, Drumtochty, N.B., and the
address within was the British Museum. When Domsie read this letter
to the school, he was always careful to explain that "Dr. Graham is
the greatest living authority on beetles," and, generally speaking,
if any clever lad did not care for Latin, he had the alternative of
beetles.

But it was Latin Domsie hunted for as for fine gold, and when he
found the smack of it in a lad he rejoiced openly. He counted it a
day in his life when he knew certainly that he had hit on another
scholar, and the whole school saw the identification of George Howe.
For a winter Domsie had been "at point," racing George through
Caesar, stalking him behind irregular verbs, baiting traps with
tit-bits of Virgil. During these exercises Domsie surveyed George
from above his spectacles with a hope that grew every day in assurance,
and came to its height over a bit of Latin prose. Domsie tasted it
visibly, and read it again in the shadow of the firs at meal-time,
slapping his leg twice.

"He'll dae! he'll dae!" cried Domsie aloud, ladling in the snuff.
"George, ma mannie, tell yir father that I am comin' up to Whinnie
Knowe the nicht on a bit o' business."

Then the "schule" knew that Geordie Hoo was marked for college, and
pelted him with fir cones in great gladness of heart.