CHAPTER IL 
SCHOOLS AND SCHOOL-MASTERS. 
Epwarp was between four and five years old when he 
went to school. He was sent there principally that he 
might be kept out of harm’s way. He did not go willing- 
ly; for he was of a roving, wandering disposition, and did 
not like to be shut up anywhere. He hated going to school. 
He was confined there about four hours a day. It might 
seem very little to some, but it was too much for him. He 
wanted to be free to roam about the Inches, up the Den- 
burn, and along the path to Rubislaw, birdnesting. 
The first school to which he was sent was a dame’s school. 
Tt was kept by an old woman called Bell Hill. It was for 
the most part a girls’ school, but Bell consented to take the 
boy, because she knew his mother and wished to oblige her. 
The school-room was situated at the top of a long stair. 
In fact, it was the garret of an ordinary dwelling-house. 
We have said that Tom did not like school. He could 
not be reconciled to spend his time there. Thus he often 
played the truant. He was sometimes arrested on his way 
to school by the fish-market. It was then held in the Ship- 
row, where the post-office now stands. There were long 
rows of benches on which the fish were spread out. The 
benches were covered in, and afforded an excellent shelter 
on a rainy day. 
Tom was well known to the fish-wives. “Here comes 
the queer laddie,” they would say as they saw him ap- 
proaching. And when he came up, they would ask him, 
“Weel, man, fat are ye gaun to speer*® the day?” Tom’s 
* Speer, to ask a question. 
