At the close of the afternoon service there was a Sunday school, chiefly conducted by Mr. Inglis himself, at which an examination on the sermon that had just been delivered formed an important part of the exercises.  And tradition has it that the questioning and answering, which had at first been evenly distributed among the pupils, usually in the end came to resolve themselves pretty much into a dialogue between Mr. Inglis and John Cairns.  It was here that the minister first came to close grips with his elder’s son and took the measure of the lad’s abilities.  After he did so, his interest in John’s classical studies was constant and helpful; and, although he gave him no direct assistance in them (if he had done so, he would have called down upon himself the wrath of Mr. M’Gregor), he was always ready to lend him books and give him useful advice.

After three years at herding and at Mr. M’Gregor’s, the question arose, and was the subject of anxious debate in the family councils, as to what was to be done with John.  He was now sixteen.  His elder brother, Thomas, had got a post under his father, whom he afterwards succeeded as shepherd at Dunglass.  His elder sister had gone to a situation.  And now James, the brother next younger than himself, had also left home to be apprenticed to a tailor.  It was time for some decision to be come to with regard to him.  Mr. M’Gregor was anxious that a superstructure should be built on the foundation laid by himself by his going to College.  Mr. Inglis’s advice was unhesitatingly given in the same direction.  With his father, the old scruples arose about setting one of his children above the rest; but again his mother’s chief concern was more about ways and means.  His father’s question was, Ought it to be done? his mother’s, Can it be done?  There were great difficulties in the way of answering this practical question in the affirmative.  There were then no bursaries open for competition; and though the expenses at home were not so great as they had once been, now that three of the family had been so far placed in life, the University class-fees and the cost of living, even in the most frugal way, entailed an expense which was formidable enough.  Still, the mother thought that this could be faced, and, in order to acquaint herself more fully with all the facts of the situation, she resolved to pay a long-promised visit to her youngest brother, who with his family was now living in Edinburgh.  He was a carrier between that city and Jedburgh, and, though still in a comparatively humble way, was said to be doing well.

The visit was a great success.  Mrs. Cairns was most warmly received by her brother and his wife, who proposed that John should stay with them and share with their own family in what was going.  This offer was gratefully accepted, so far as the question of lodging was concerned.  As to board, John’s mother had ideas of her own, and insisted on paying for it, if not in money at least in kind.  Thus