To these lectures Alec would listen seriously enough, believing Thomas to be right; though he could never make up his mind to give any after attention to what he required of him.
The first time Alec met Thomas after the affair with the dominie, was on the day before he was to go back to school; for his mother had yielded at last to his entreaties.

Thomas was building an addition to a water-mill on the banks of the Glamour not far from where Alec lived, and Alec had strolled along thither to see how the structure was going on.

He expected a sharp rebuke for his behaviour to Mr Malison, but somehow he was not afraid of Thomas, and was resolved to face it out.
The first words Thomas uttered, however, were: "Weel, Alec, can ye tell me what was the name o' King Dawvid's mither ?" "I can_not_, Thomas," answered Alec.

"What was it ?" "Fin' ye that oot.

Turn ower yer Bible.