12 DICK ON THE OCHfLS. CHAP. it. 



The teacher's name was Morrison. He was not equal 

 in accomplishments to the Barony schoolmaster at Tulli- 

 body. He took to teaching because he had not limbs 

 enough to fit him for anything else. He had only one 

 arm. He used to mend his pens dexterously, while 

 holding them firmly under the little stump that remained 

 on the other side. 



Robert Dick made little progress under this master. 

 He learned his lessons well enough, and read as many 

 books as he could find or borrow. But he had a great 

 compensation at Dam's Burn for his want of school 

 learning. It was at Dam's Burn that he imbibed his 

 love of Nature. The green Ochils rose right behind his 

 father's house. By stepping into the back-green, he could 

 at once ascend the heights. He could ramble up the 

 burns, and in the sheltered corners, behind the rocks, find 

 many precious flowers and plants. 



The boy who" plays about a mountain side, or among 

 the clefts of the hills, finds many things to amuse him. 

 In spring time there are the birds ; in summer there are 

 the plants and flowers; and in winter there are the 

 icicles hanging down the ledges of the rocks. Robert 

 also found out a variety of stones among the hills, 

 the felspar, porphyry, and greenstones, which are com- 

 mon in the Ochils. He wondered at the difference 

 between them, made a collection of them, which he 

 treasured at a dike-side, behind his father's house, 

 and tried to find out the cause of the difference between 

 one stone and another. 



This climbing of the Ochils led him into difficulties. 



