CHAPTER XXIV.
THE SLATE.
From that very next day, then, after he was received into the cottage on Glashgar, Gibbie, as a matter of course, took upon him the work his hand could find to do, and Janet averred to her husband that never had any of her daughters been more useful to her.

At the same time, however, she insisted that Robert should take the boy out with him.

She would not have him do woman's work, especially work for which she was herself perfectly able.

She had not come to her years, she said, to learn idleset; and the boy would save Robert many a weary step among the hills.
"He canna speyk to the dog," objected Robert, giving utterance to the first difficulty that suggested itself.
"The dog canna speyk himsel'," returned Janet, "an' the won'er is he can un'erstan': wha kens but he may come full nigher ane 'at's speechless like himsel'! Ye gie the cratur the chance, an' I s' warran' he'll mak himsel' plain to the dog.

Ye jist try 'im.