The spirit of mischief had never been so thoroughly aroused in the youth of Glamerton as it was this winter.

The snow lay very deep, while almost every day a fresh fall added to its depth, and this rendered some of their winter-amusements impossible; while not many of them had the imagination of Alec Forbes to suggest new ones.

At the same time the cold increased, and strengthened their impulses to muscular exertion.
"Thae loons are jist growin' perfect deevils," said Charlie Chapman, the wool-carder, as he bolted into his own shop, with the remains of a snowball melting down the back of his neck.

"We maun hae anither constable to haud them in order." The existing force was composed of one long-legged, short-bodied, middle-aged man, who was so slow in his motions, apparently from the weight of his feet, which were always dragging behind him, that the boys called him Stumpin' Steenie (dim.

for "Stephen"), and stood in no more awe of him than they did of his old cow--which, her owner being a widower, they called _Mrs Stephen_--when she went up the street, hardly able to waddle along for the weight of her udder.