and tell your mammy, for the disease will soon spread all around, and I
think you will be safest up the steps at this time, as you were last
summer." "I shall not like that at all," said Tom, "I was so tired living
up there. I was just as Colly is, and I dare say it will be the believe,
John, you are right; for it would never do for any of us to be ill when my
daddy is in the bed, and we are all obliged, till he is better, to sleep
on some straw, in the inner room, that we may not disturb him. But tell
Miss Helen all about the chickens, and that I am very sorry to hear she is
ill. Good bye to you, I hope you may meet somebody else who has had the
measles, and then they need not be afraid of helping you home with the
basket."

John was really glad when he saw Tom fairly gone. The consequences of the
poor child catching the disease, at this time, appeared to him dreadful;
and he began to think how fortunate he had been in recollecting the
measles before he had brought him into the Manse. With this comfortable
reflection, John trudged on with the basket, and, occupied with this own
thoughts, he did not feel the weight so overpowering as he had done before
he met Tom; he was however, obliged at last again to stop. As he was
resting himself, he saw a girl, about twelve years old, running down the
holm towards him. When she came up, she said "You don't know me, John
Telfer; but I am Peggy Oliphant, Mr. Elliott's herd-girl, that lives up in
that cottage, (pointing to the very cottage John had been planning for
Master William,) and Tom Little, whom I met as I was coming down, asked me
to run forward and help you with your basket, as I am going as far as
Langholm, on an errand of my mistress; you need not be afraid to let me go
to the Manse, for I have had the measles, and so has all my master's
children; we all had them last year."

"Thank you, Peggy," said John, "it is very kind of you, and very