nd went on about his business。
Discouraged by the unpromising outlook for dinner that day； Bobby went slowly back to the grave。 Twice afterward he made hopeful pilgrimages to the gate。 For diversion he fell noiselessly upon a prowling cat and chased it out of the kirkyard。 At last he sat upon the table…tomb。 He had escaped notice from the tenements all the morning because the view from most of the windows was blocked by washings； hung out and dripping； then freezing and clapping against the old tombs。 It was half…past three o'clock when a tiny； wizened face popped out of one of the rude little windows in the decayed Cunzie Neuk at the bottom of Candlemakers Row。 Crippled Tammy Barr called out in shrill excitement
〃Ailie！ O…o…oh； Ailie Lindsey； there's the wee doggie！〃
〃Whaur？〃 The lassie's elfin face looked out from a low； rear window of the Candlemakers' Guildhall at the top of the Row。
〃On the stane by the kirk wa'。〃
〃I see 'im noo。 Isna he bonny？ I wish Bobby could bide i' the kirkyaird； but they wadna let 'im。 Tammy； gin ye tak' 'im up to Maister Traill； he'll gie ye the shullin'！〃
〃I couldna tak' 'im by ma lane；〃 was the pathetic confession。 〃Wad ye gang wi' me； Ailie？ Ye could drap ower an' catch 'im； an' I could come by the gate。 Faither made me some grand crutches frae an' auld chair back。〃
Tears suddenly drowned the lassie's blue eyes and ran down her pinched little cheeks。 〃Nae； I couldna gang。 I haena ony shoon to ma feet。〃
〃It's no' so cauld。 Gin I had twa guile feet I could gang the bit way wi'oot shoon。〃
〃I ken it isna so cauld；〃 Ailie admitted； 〃but for a lassie it's no' respectable to gang to a grand place barefeeted。〃
That was undeniable； and the eager children fell silent and tearful。 But oh； necessity is the mother of makeshifts among the poor！ Suddenly Ailie cried： 〃Bide a meenit； Tammy；〃 and vanished。 Presently she was back； with the difficulty overcome。 〃Grannie says I can wear her shoon。 She doesna wear 'em i' the hoose； ava。〃
〃I'll gie ye a saxpence； Ailie；〃 offered Tammy。
The sordid bargain shocked no feeling of these tenement bairns nor marred their pleasure in the adventure。 Presently there was a tap…tap…tapping of crutches on the heavy gallery that fronted the Cunzie Neuk； and on the stairs that descended from it to the steep and curving row。 The lassie draped a fragment of an old plaid deftly over her thinly clad shoulders； climbed through the window； to the pediment of the classic tomb that blocked it； and dropped into the kirkyard。 To her surprise Bobby was there at her feet； frantically wagging his tail； and he raced her to the gate。 She caught him on the steps of the dining room； and held his wriggling little body fast until Tammy came up。
It was a tumultuous little group that burst in upon the astonished landlord： barking fluff of an excited dog； flying lassie in clattering big shoes； and wee； tapping Tammy。 They literally fell upon him when he was engaged in counting out his money。
〃Whaur did you find him？〃 asked Mr Traill in bewilderment。
Six…year…old Ailie slipped a shy finger into her mouth； and looked to the very much more mature five…year old crippled laddie to answer
〃He was i' the kirkyaird。〃
〃Sittin' upon a stane by 'is ainsel'；〃 added Ailie。
〃An' no' hidin'； ava。 It was juist like he was leevin' there。〃
〃An' syne； when I drapped oot o' the window he louped at me so bonny； an' I couldna keep up wi' 'im to the gate。〃
Wonder of wonders！ It was plain that Bobby had made his way back from the hill farm and； from his appearance and manner； as well as from this account； it was equally clear that some happy change in his fortunes had taken place。 He sat up on his haunches listening with interest and lolling his tongue！ And that was a thing the bereft little dog had not done since his master died。 In the first pause in the talk he rose and begged for his dinner。
〃Noo； what am I to pay？ It took ane； twa； three o' ye to fetch ane sma' dog。 A saxpence for the laddie； a saxpence for the lassie； an' a bit meal for Bobby。〃
While he was putting the plate down under the settle Mr。 Traill heard an amazed whisper 〃He's gien the doggie a chuckie bane。〃 The landlord switched the plate from under Bobby's protesting little muzzle and turned to catch the hungry look on the faces of the children。 Chicken； indeed； for a little dog； before these ill…fed bairns！ Mr。 Traill had a brilliant thought。
〃Preserve me！ I didna think to eat ma ain dinner。 I hae so muckle to eat I canna eat it by ma lane。〃
The idea of having too much to eat was so preposterously funny that Tammy doubled up with laughter and nearly tumbled over his crutches。 Mr。 Traill set him upright again。
〃Did ye ever gang on a picnic； bairnies？〃 And what was a picnic？ Tammy ventured the opinion that it might be some kind of a cart for lame laddies to ride in。
〃A picnic is when ye gang gypsying in the summer；〃 Mr。 Traill explained。 〃Ye walk to a bonny green brae； an' sit doon under a hawthorntree a' covered wi' posies； by a babblin' burn； an' ye eat oot o' yer ain hands。 An' syne ye hear a throstle or a redbreast sing an' a saucy blackbird whustle。〃
〃Could ye tak' a dog？〃 asked Tammy。
〃Ye could that； mannie。 It's no' a picnic wi'oot a sonsie doggie to rin on the brae wi' ye。〃
〃Oh！〃 Ailie's blue eyes slowly widened in her pallid little face。 〃But ye couldna hae a picnic i' the snawy weather。〃
〃Ay； ye could。 It's the bonniest of a' when ye're no' expectin' it。 I aye keep a picnic hidden i' the ingleneuk aboon。〃 He suddenly swung Tammy up on his shoulder； and calling； gaily； 〃Come awa'；〃 went out the door； through another beside it； and up a flight of stairs to the dining…room above。 A fire burned there in the grate； the tables were covered with linen； and there were blooming flowers in pots in the front windows。 Patrons from the University； and the well…to…do streets and squares to the south and east； made of this upper room a sort of club in the evenings。 At four o'clock in the afternoon there were no guests。
〃Noo；〃 said Mr。 Traill； when his overcome little guests were seated at a table in the inglenook。 〃A picnic is whaur ye hae onything ye fancy to eat； gude things ye wullna be haein' ilka day； ye mind。〃 He rang a call…bell； and a grinning waiter laddie popped up so quickly the lassie caught her breath。
〃Eneugh broo for aince；〃 said Tammy。
〃Porridge that isna burned；〃 suggested Ailie。 Such pitiful poverty of the imagination！
〃Nae； it's bread； an' butter； an' strawberry jam； an' tea wi' cream an' sugar； an' cauld chuckie at a snawy picnic；〃 announced Mr。 Traill。 And there it was； served very quickly and silently； after some manner of magic。 Bobby had to stand on the fourth chair to eat his dinner； and when he had despatched it he sat up and viewed the little party with the liveliest interest and happiness。
〃Tammy；〃 Ailie said； when her shyness had worn off； 〃it's like the grand tales ye mak' up i' yer heid。〃
〃Preserve me！ Does the wee mannie mak' up stories？〃
〃It's juist fulish things； aboot haein' mair to eat； an' a sonsie doggie to play wi'； an' twa gude legs to tak' me aboot。 I think 'em oot at nicht when I canna sleep。〃
〃Eh； laddie； do ye noo？〃 Mr。 Traill suddenly had a terrible 〃cauld in 'is heid；〃 that made his eyes water。 〃Hoo auld are ye？〃
〃Five； gangin' on sax。〃
〃Losh！ I thoucht ye war fifty； gangin' on saxty。〃 Laughter saved the day from overmoist emotions。 And presently Mr。 Traill was able to say in a business…like tone：
〃We'll hae to tak' ye to the infirmary。 An' if they canna mak' yer legs ower ye'll get a pair o' braw crutches that are the niest thing to gude legs。 An' syne we'll see if there's no' a place in Heriot's for a sma' laddie that mak's up bonny tales o' his ain in the murky auld Cunzie Neuk。〃
Now the gay little feast was eaten； and early dark was coming on。 If Mr。 Traill had entertained the hope that Bobby had recovered from his grief and might remain with him； he was disappointed。 The little dog began to be restless。 He ran to the door and back； he begged； and he scratched on the panel。 And then he yelped！ As soon as the door was opened he shot out of it； tumbled down the stairway and waited at the foot impatiently for the lower door to be unlatched。 Ailie's thin； swift legs were left behind when Bobby dashed to the kirkyard。
Tammy followed at a surprising pace on his rude crutches； and Mr。 Traill brought up the rear。 If the children could not smuggle the frantic little dog inside； the landlord meant to put him over the wicket and； if necessary； to have it out with the caretaker； and then to go before the kirk minister and officers with his plea。 He was still concealed by the buildings； from the alcoved gate； when he heard Mr。 Brown's gruff voice taking the frightened bairns to task。
〃Gie me the dog； an' dinna ye tak' him oot ony mair wi'oot spierin' me。〃
The children fled。 Peeping around the angle of the Book Hunter's Stall； Mr。 Traill saw the caretaker lift Bobby over the wicket to his arms； and start with him toward the lodge。 He was perishing with curiosity about this astonishing change of front on the part of Mr。 Brown； but it was a delicate situation in which it seemed best not to meddle。 He went slowly back to the restaurant； begrudging Bobby to the luckier caretaker。
His envy was premature。 Mr。 Brown set Bobby inside the lodge kitchen and announced briefly to his wife： 〃The bit dog wull sleep i' the hoose the nicht。〃 And he went about some business at the upper end of the kirkyard。 When he came in an hour later Bobby was gone。
〃I couldna keep 'im in； Jamie。 He didna blatter； but he greeted so sair to be let oot； an syne he scratched a' the paint aff the door。〃
Mr。 Brown glowered at her in exasperation。 〃Woman； they'll hae me up afore kirk sessions for brakin' the rules； an' syne they'll turn us a' oot i' the cauld warld togither。〃
He slammed the door and stormed angrily around the kirk。 It was still light enough to see the little creature on the snowy mound and； indeed； Bobby got up and wagged his tail in friendly greeting。 At that all the bluster went out of the man； and he began to argue the matter with the dog。
〃Come awa'； Bobby。 Ye canna be leevin' i' the kirkyaird。〃
Bobby was of