Willie thought how nice it would be with his new knife also to cut his name on his slate; only he would rather make some difference in the way of doing it.

What if, instead of sinking the letters in the frame, he made them stand up from the frame by cutting it away to some depth all round them.

There was not much originality in this, for it was only reversing what Spelman had done; but it was more difficult, and would, he thought, be prettier.
Then what was he thus to carve?
One would say, "Why, _William Macmichael_, of course, and, if he liked, _Priory Leas_" But Willie was a peculiar little fellow, and began to reason with himself whether he had any right to put his own name on the slate.

"My father did not give me the slate," he said, "to be my very own.

He gave me the knife like that, but not the slate.