Through the wild, ungoverned years of his boyhood his father had been more than a father to him.

He had been a friend, sharing a common lot, and without much show of tenderness, understanding and sympathizing with him, and now that his father had gone from him, a great loneliness fell upon the lad.
The farm and its belongings were sold.

Kirsty brought with her the big box of blankets and linen that had belonged to Ranald's mother.

Ranald took his mother's Gaelic Bible, his father's gun and ax, and with the great deerhound, Bugle, and his colt, Lisette, left the home of his childhood behind him, and with his Aunt Kirsty, went to live with his uncle.
Throughout the autumn months he was busy helping his uncle with the plowing, the potatoes, and the fall work.

Soon the air began to nip, and the night's frost to last throughout the shortening day, and then Macdonald Bhain began to prepare wood for the winter, and to make all things snug about the house and barn; and when the first fall of snow fell softly, he took down his broad-ax, and then Ranald knew that the gang would soon be off again for the shanties.