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You would think that Aleck Douglas could not be convicted of murder just because he had reported that a man was shot down in Aleck's house. The report of Aleck Douglas' trial is not the main feature of this story; it is merely the commencement, one might say.

I wish we hadn't done it now, for he has proved more of a hindrance than a help, and his real knowledge of fauna and flora could be put in a peanut shell, with room to spare." "He's a big brag," answered Tom. "Take my advice and never trust him too far or you may be sorry for it." Presently Aleck came back, with Cujo following.

"Why, Aleck, it's splendid! How does it aggregate?" "I think well, to be on the safe side, about a hundred and eighty thousand clear, though it will probably be more." "My! isn't it wonderful? By gracious! luck has come our way at last, after all the hard sledding, Aleck!" "Well?" "I'm going to cash in a whole three hundred on the missionaries what real right have we care for expenses!"

One Sabbath evening, it chanced that John "Aleck," who always had an ear open for a good voice, heard him rolling out his deep bass, and seizing him on the spot, had made him promise to join the singing school. There he discovered a talent and developed a taste for singing that delighted his leader's heart, and opened out to himself a new world. The piano, too, was a new and rare treat to Ranald.

Aleck ventured to hope that the "professional advice" had not meant serious trouble of any sort. "A slight indisposition only." "And are you much better now?" Aleck inquired solicitously. "Oh, it wasn't I; it was Mélanie," Madame smiled. "I became my own physician many years ago, and now I never see a doctor except when we ask one to dine. But youth has no such advantage."

"I don't mean shoving myself forrard, because well I know you're a young gen'leman and I'm on'y a pensioned-off hulk as has never been anything more than a AB." "I don't know what you're aiming at, Tom," said Aleck, querulously, as he went on bathing his bruised face again. "Of course we've been like messmates many a time out with the boat, but what has that to do with the trouble I'm in?"

On the pages where the daily incidents of the plantation were recorded, I frequently discovered entries that illustrated the "peculiar institution." Some of them read thus: June 5th. Whipped Harry and Sarah to-day, because they didn't keep up their rows. July 7th. Aleck ran away to the woods, because I threatened to whip him. July 9th. Got Mr. Hall's dogs and hunted Aleck. Didn't find him.

The growls came in various undertones from the Committee. "What foreman? Hoddle?" The boss was ready to fight for his subalterns. "No! Old Hoddle's all right," said Gilby. "It's that young smart aleck, Tony Perrotte." "Tony Perrotte!" Mr. Maitland's voice was troubled and uncertain. "Tony Perrotte! Why, you don't mean to tell me that Perrotte is not a good man.

Jimsy's radiating fancies focussed themselves, at last, on the vision of a trig little sail-boat, "a jug of wine, a loaf of bread" in the cabin, with possibly the book of verses underneath the bow, or more suitably, in the shadow of the sail; and Aleck Van Camp and himself astir in the rigging or plunging together from the gunwale for an early swim.

He was not a nervous person, you would have laughed at the idea of nerves in connection with Lite Avery. He felt that something was wrong, just the same. It was not altogether the hurried departure of Aleck Douglas, either, that made him feel so. He looked at the house setting back there close to the bluff just where it began to curve rudely out from the narrowest part of the coulee.