secure. But he was not long in showing that he could be quite as
energetic in his church affairs as in playing "Dan Tucker."

He plunged into the work with a vim and ardour which commanded the
admiration of a thrifty and hard-working people.

The young folk were no longer the drones in the hive; he had not been
among them a month before he had stirred them all up to an activity and
interest in church affairs they had never dreamed of before.

He organised a Young People's Society of Christian Endeavour and, with
the help of Mr. Watson, a Young Men's Christian Association. He joined
the Sons of Temperance and infused new life into that organisation. He
even went so far as to get the older women out of their homes and
before they knew what they were doing they had formed a Ladies' Aid
Society and were making plans to carpet and decorate the church.

Miss Cotton was the president of this latter organisation and worked up
the interest to such a pitch that even Mrs. Neil More went to one of
the meetings, and Archie set fire to the house while she was absent,
probably feeling that as the established order of the universe had been
completely overturned, the total destruction of all material things
should naturally follow.

The Methodists were incited to emulation by all this activity and Sim
Basketful started an Epworth League. Then Mr. Egerton, in his
free-hearted way, proposed that the two societies join and hold
alternate meetings in the two churches, a suggestion which met with
hearty approval and raised the young minister to the status of a saint
in the eyes of Mr. Ansdell.

He soon established himself on friendly terms with "the boys" who met
at the corner in the evenings. He entered into all their sports.
Whether it was throwing quoits in the middle of the road, playing
foot-ball in the river pastures below the mill, swimming in the milldam
or walking the logs on the pond, he was the leader. He was a favourite
with all classes. Mr. Watson, who was rumoured to have loose notions
on religion, was his constant companion. Syl Todd, the village dandy,
worshipped him, and Pat Duffy, who was rather a liberal-minded
Catholic, declared him "a blazin' fine chap" and gave as his opinion
that it was "a relief to see a parson that didn't look scared when a
fellow swore a little"--which indulgence was a conversational necessity
to Mr. Duffy.

The Glen grew livelier every day and the meetings at the Hamiltons'
larger a