buthelearntinlieuofthemtoreadfromScottandBarrow’scollectionsofproseandpoetry，whileheobtainedsomeknowledgeofarithmetic，inwhichheproceededasfaraspracticeandtheruleofthree。Thisconstitutedhiswholestockofschool-learninguptohistenthyear。Outofschool-hourshelearnttoclimbtheruinedwallsoftheoldabbeyofthetown，andtherewasscarcelyanarch，ortower，orcrannyofitwithwhichhedidnotbecomefamiliar。
Wheninhistwelfthyear，hisfather，whohadbeenbroughtuptofarm-work，andpossessedconsiderablepracticalknowledgeofagriculture，wasofferedthechargeofafarmatMoyinRoss-shire，belongingtoLordSeaforthofBrahanCastle。Thefarmwasofabout300acres，situatedonthebanksoftheriverConan，somefivemilesfromthetownofDingwall。Thefamilytravelledthitherinacoveredcart，adistanceof200miles，throughaverywildandhillycountry，arrivingattheirdestinationattheendofOctober，1799。Thefarm，whenreached，wasfoundovergrownwithwhinsandbrushwood，andcoveredinmanyplaceswithgreatstonesandrocks；itwas，inshort，asnearlyinastateofnatureasitwaspossibletobe。Thehouseintendedforthefarmer’sreceptionwasnotfinished，andAndrewFairbairn，withhiswifeandfivechildren，hadtotaketemporaryrefugeinamiserablehovel，veryunlikethecomfortablehousewhichtheyhadquittedatKelso。Bynextspring，however，thenewhousewasready；andAndrewFairbairnsetvigorouslytoworkatthereclamationoftheland。Afterabouttwoyears’laboursitexhibitedanaltogetherdifferentappearance，andinplaceofwhinsandstonesthereweretobeseenheavycropsofbarleyandturnips。Thebarrenyearsof1800and1801，however，pressedveryhardlyonAndrewFairbairnasoneveryotherfarmerofarableland。Aboutthattime，Andrew’sbrotherPeter，whoactedassecretarytoLordSeaforth，andthroughwhoseinfluencetheformerhadobtainedthefarm，leftBrahanCastlefortheWestIndieswithhisLordship，who——notwithstandinghisbeingbothdeafanddumb——hadbeenappointedtotheGovernorshipofBarbadoes；andinconsequenceofvariousdifficultieswhichoccurredshortlyafterhisleaving，AndrewFairbairnfounditnecessarytogiveuphisholding，whereuponheengagedasstewardtoMackenzieofAllengrange，withwhomheremainedfortwoyears。
WhilethefamilylivedatMoy，noneoftheboyswereputtoschool。
Theycouldnotbesparedfromthefarmandthehousehold。Thoseofthemthatcouldnotworkafieldwerewantedtohelptonursetheyoungerchildrenathome。ButAndrewFairbairnpossessedagreattreasureinhiswife，whowasawomanofmuchenergyofcharacter，settingbeforeherchildrenanexampleofpatientindustry，thrift，discreetness，andpiety，whichcouldnotfailtoexerciseapowerfulinfluenceupontheminafter-life；andthis，ofitself，wasaneducationwhichprobablyfarmorethancompensatedfortheboys’lossofschool-cultureduringtheirlifeatMoy。Mrs。Fairbairnspanandmadeallthechildren’sclothes，aswellastheblanketsandsheeting；and，whileintheHighlands，shenotonlymadeherownandherdaughters’dresses，andhersons’jacketsandtrowsers，butherhusband’scoatsandwaistcoats；besideshelpingherneighbourstocutouttheirclothingforfamilywear。
OneofWilliam’sdutiesathomewastonursehisyoungerbrotherPeter，thenadelicatechildundertwoyearsold；andtorelievehimselfofthelabourofcarryinghimabout，hebegantheconstructionofalittlewaggoninwhichtowheelhim。Thiswas，however，aworkofsomedifficulty，asallthetoolshepossessedwereonlyaknife，agimlet，andanoldsaw。Withtheseimplements，apieceofthinboard，andafewnails，heneverthelesscontrivedtomakeatolerablyserviceablewaggon-body。Hischiefdifficultyconsistedinmakingthewheels，whichhecontrivedtosurmountbycuttingsectionsfromthestemofasmallalder-tree，andwithared-hotpokerheboredtherequisiteholesintheircentrestoreceivetheaxle。Thewaggonwasthenmountedonitsfourwheels，andtothegreatjoyofitsmakerwasfoundtoansweritspurposeadmirably。Inithewheeledhislittlebrother——afterwardswellknownasSirPeterFairbairn，mayorofLeeds——invariousdirectionsaboutthefarm，andsometimestoaconsiderabledistancefromit；andthevehiclewasregardedonthewholeasadecidedsuccess。Hisfatherencouragedhiminhislittlefeatsofconstructionofasimilarkind，andheproceededtomakeandrigminiatureboatsandships，andthenminiaturewindandwatermills，inwhichlastartheacquiredsuchexpertnessthathehadsometimesfiveorsixmillsgoingatatime。