by Miss Slocum, the
vicar's daughter, aided, for reasons of policy rather than individual
prowess, by Miss McFie, the sister of the Congregational minister. The
girl attendants in their gaily coloured dresses and sun-bonnets, and
the men in smock-frocks and large straw hats, added picturesqueness to
the scene.

Bindle's activity had been prodigious. With the ease of a man who is
thoroughly conversant with his subject, he had taken charge of the
drink department. The lemonade had been distributed to the various
stalls, and the right amount of water added, according to the
directions upon each cask. Every drop of water had been fetched under
the supervision of Bindle himself.

On arriving at the Fete ground Bindle had gone direct to a corner of
the meadow and brought forth half a dozen stone jars, each capable of
holding about two gallons. The contents of these he had carefully
poured into the casks containing the nucleus of the lemonade. These
same jars had been subsequently used for fetching water with which to
weaken the lemonade.

Finally they had been stowed away in the far end of the pantechnicon.

Bindle stood out in strong relief from the other workers, both on
account of his costume and personality. He wore the green baize apron
of his class. On his head was the inevitable cricket cap. His face
had taken on the same hue as his nose, and the smile that irradiated
his features transcended in its joyous abandon the smiles of all the
others. For everyone he had a merry word. In the short space of two
hours he had achieved an astonishing popularity.

By three o'clock the Fete was in full swing. Every stable in Barton
Bridge was full, and the High Street presented a curious appearance,
with its rows of horseless carriages, carts, and traps. The
coach-houses and available sheds had all been utilised to give shelter
to the scores of horses. The members of the committee, wearing big
dark-blue rosettes, smiled largely their satisfaction. They knew that
reporters were present from _The Blue Ribbon News_ and _The Pure Water
World_.

Bindle had entered into the spirit of the revelry in a way that
attracted to him the attention of many members of the organising
committee.

"An extremely droll fellow, quite a valuable addition to our
attendants," the vicar remarked to the Rev. Andrew McFie, the young
Congregational pastor, as they stood surveying the scene.

"An admeerable man, Meester Slocum," the cau