For, although it was amazing how little of the doings at school the children were in the habit of reporting--so little, indeed, that this account involved revelations of the character and proceedings of Mr Malison which appeared to many of the parents quite incredible--the present occurrence so far surpassed the ordinary, and had excited the beholders so much, that they could not be quiet about it.

Various were the judgments elicited by the story.

The religious portion of the community seemed to their children to side with the master; the worldly--namely, those who did not profess to be particularly religious--all sided with Alec Forbes; with the exception of a fish-cadger, who had one son, the plague of his life.
Amongst the religious, there was, at least, one exception, too; but he had no children of his own, and had a fancy for Alec Forbes.

That exception was Thomas Crann, the stone-mason..