126 The Little Minister

remark) about all these children, and his smile
as he patted their heads was for thinking over
when one’s work was done for the day.

The doctor’s horse clattered up the Backwynd
noisily, as if a minister behind made no difference
to it. Instead of climbing the Roods, however,
the nearest way to Nanny’s, it went westward,
which Gavin, in a reverie, did not notice. The
truth must be told. The Egyptian was again in
. his head.

“ Have I fallen deaf in the left ear, too?” said
the doctor. “I see your lips moving, but I don’t
catch a syllable.”

Gavin started, coloured, and flung the gypsy
out of the trap.

“Why are we not going up the Roods?” he
asked.

“Well,” said the doctor, slowly, “at the top
of the Roods there is a stance for circuses, and
this old beast of mine won’t pass it. You know,
unless you are behind in the clashes and clavers
of Thrums, that I bought her from the manager
of a travelling show. She was the horse (‘ Light-
ning’ they called her) that galloped round the
ring at a mile an hour, and so at the top of
the Roods she is still unmanageable. She once
dragged me to the scene of her former triumphs,
and went revolving round it, dragging che
machine after her.”

“If you had not explained that,” said Gavin,
“T might have thought that you wanted to pass
by Rashie-bog.”

The doctor, indeed, was already standing up
to catch a first glimpse of the curlers.