I did not spend my time unpleasantly at this school, though, first of all, I had to pass through an ordeal.
"Scotland is a better country than England," said an ugly, blear-eyed lad, about a head and shoulders taller than myself, the leader of a gang of varlets who surrounded me in the play-ground, on the first day, as soon as the morning lesson was over.

"Scotland is a far better country than England, in every respect." "Is it ?" said I.

"Then you ought to be very thankful for not having been born in England." "That's just what I am, ye loon; and every morning when I say my prayers, I thank God for not being an Englishman.

The Scotch are a much better and braver people than the English." "It may be so," said I, "for what I know--indeed, till I came here, I never heard a word either about the Scotch or their country." "Are ye making fun of us, ye English puppy ?" said the blear-eyed lad; "take that!" and I was presently beaten black and blue.

And thus did I first become aware of the difference of races and their antipathy to each other.
"Bow to the storm, and it shall pass over you." I held my peace, and silently submitted to the superiority of the Scotch--_in numbers_.