ButmeantimeIshouldliketogototheshantieswithyouthiswinter。\"
Andso，whentheMacdonaldgangwenttothewoodsthatwinter，Ranald，takinghisfather\'sax，wentwiththem。AndsocleverdidtheboyprovehimselfthatbythetimetheybroughtdowntheirraftinthespringtherewasnotamaninallthegangthatMacdonaldBhainwouldsoonerhaveathisbackinatightplacethanhisnephewRanald。And，indeed，thosemonthsinthewoodsmadeamanoutofthelong，lankyboy，sothat，onthefirstSabbathaftertheshantymencamehome，notmanyinthechurchthatdaywouldhaverecognizedthedark-faced，stalwartyouthhaditnotbeenthathesatinthepewbesideMacdonaldBhain。Itwaswithnosmalldifficultythattheminister\'swifecouldkeepherlittleboyquietinthebackseat，sofullofprideandjoywasheattheappearanceofhishero；butaftertheservicewasover，Hughiecouldbenolongerrestrained。Pushinghiswayeagerlythroughthecrowd，heseizeduponRanaldanddraggedhimtohismother。
\"Hereheis，mother！\"heexclaimed，toRanald\'sgreatconfusion，andtotheamusementofallabouthim。\"Isn\'thesplendid？\"
AndasRanaldgreetedMrs。Murraywithquiet，gravecourtesy，shefeltthathiswinterinthewoodsandontheriverhadforeverputbehindhimhisboyhood，andthathenceforthhewouldtakehisplaceamongthemen。Andlookingathisstrong，composed，graveface，shefeltthatthatplaceoughtnottobeanunworthyone。
CHAPTERXVII