And before long, she had her chance.
Old Dorothy, Mr.Simon's servant and housekeeper was one day taken ill, and Cosmo mentioning the fact in Aggie's hearing, she ran, with a mere word to her mother, and not a moments' cogitation, to offer her assistance till she was better.
It turned out that "auld Dorty," as the neighbours called her, not without some hint askance at the quality of her temper, was not very seriously ailing, yet sufficiently so to accept a little help for the rougher work of the house; and while Aggie was on her knees washing the slabs of the passage that led through to the back door, the master, as she always called him now that Cosmo was his pupil, happened to come from his room, and saw and addressed her.

She rose in haste, mechanically drying her hands in her apron.
"How's the algebra getting on, Agnes ?" he said.
"Naething's gettin' on verra weel sin' maister Cosmo gaed frae the schuil, sir.

I dinna seem to hae the hert for the learnin' 'at I had sae lang as he was there, sae far aheid o' me, but no a'thegither oot 'o my sicht, like .-- It soon's a conceitit kin' o' a thing to say, but I'm no meanin' onything o' that natur', sir." "I understand you very well, Agnes," returned the master.

"Would you like to have some lessons with me?
I don't say along with Cosmo; you would hardly be able for that at present, I fancy--but at such times as you could manage to come--odd times, when you were not wanted." "There's naething upo' the airth, sir," said Aggie, "'at I wad like half sae weel.

Thae jist a kin' o' a hoonger upo' me forun'erstan'in' things.