ack suddenly to let
the schoolmaster pass.

"Are you playing tag?" he asked.

But Mr. Watson was in no mood for joking. "You're just the chap we're
looking for, Don! Mr. Egerton and I are in a beast of a pickle. That
young brother of yours has got to be looked after; he upset the
procession from the school, and he's cleared off with all the other
boys and we can't have any programme without them, and our whole
entertainment's ruined!"

Donald glanced past him at the minister, standing in dignified silence,
awaiting the issue, and for an instant a gleam of mischievous pleasure
flashed in his eyes, a glance John Egerton did not fail to detect and
at that moment he would have preferred to let the whole picnic be
ruined rather than ask a favour of Donald Neil.

"What have I to do with it?" Donald was asking gravely.

"Oh, you know," returned the schoolmaster in a wheedling tone; "you can
make Neil do anything. You order him to come back and bring the other
chaps, and we'll be eternally grateful; that's a good fellow, Don."

Donald's eyes were beginning to twinkle again; he could not help
enjoying his pastor's discomfort. "Why don't you discipline him
yourself?" he asked teasingly. "If he's amenable to neither religion
nor education"--he glanced at the minister again--"I am afraid I can do
nothing with him."

John Egerton's face flushed angrily. "I think you should feel yourself
responsible for your brother's action, Mr. McDonald," he said coldly.
"I must say he has been an unmitigated nuisance ever since we commenced
to practise, and now he promises to spoil everything. If you have the
slightest interest in the entertainment, you will see that he does his
duty."

Donald looked steadily into his pastor's eyes. For an instant a wild
desire to refuse help, to even command Neil to see that the programme
was a failure, entered his heart. But it was only momentary; Donald
was incapable of being petty. But he could not resist the retort, "I
couldn't think of assuming such honours in the presence of the
clergyman and the schoolmaster, but I can at least produce the cause of
this serious mishap." He put his fingers to his lips and gave three
sharp whistles, ending in a long musical note. A moment later a boy
came bounding up the path from the river; he was barefooted, his coat
was off and he was plainly preparing for a swim. He stopped suddenly a
few paces away when he saw who was with his brother and hung hi