en?" Mrs. Royal suggested.
"Perhaps they wouldn't mind under the circumstances."

"Wouldn't mind! Don't you know the Sanders well enough to realise what
they would do and say? Haven't they been planning for a 'church
wedding' for months? Here come more teams. What in the world shall we
do!" and the parson drew forth his handkerchief, and mopped his
perspiring brow.

"There must be only one person who knows where that key is," Mrs. Royal
thoughtfully remarked.

"And who is that?"

"Rodney. If you didn't remove it, he must have done so."

"Where is he?" and the clergyman looked around as if expecting to see
him appear.

"I do not know, Daniel. He always comes to see me when he returns from
school, but I have not seen him this afternoon. That scout book came
this morning, and he may be lost in that."

"But he is not in the house, Martha. I have boon all over the place
and have not seen him."

"Is the book there?" his wife asked. "I left it on the dining-room
table."

"I didn't see any book. But, hark, there is some one at the door.
They're after me to attend the wedding, and what shall I say! How can
I explain!" and the parson started to go to the door.

"Wait, Daniel," his wife called. "If the book is gone, Rodney must
have taken it over to show it to Captain Josh, for he said he was going
to do that just as soon as it came."

"But why should he take the key, Martha?" and the parson turned his
despairing face upon hers.

"I do not know, Daniel. But you had better send some one after him at
once. He may know something about it."

In the meantime the doorbell had been ringing furiously, and when
Parson Dan at last opened it, he was confronted by several excited men,
among whom was the bridegroom.

"What's wrong, parson?" Ned Percher cried. "We've been waitin' out
here fer some time. The church is locked, and the people are gettin'
impatient."

"I can't find the key, Ned, that's what's the trouble," the parson
explained.

"Can't find the key!" came in a chorus from all.

"No. It's gone, and the only person who must know about it is Rodney,
and I believe he's over at Captain Josh's."

The groom, a thick-set, red-faced man, now stepped forward.

"D'ye think this is the right way to treat me, parson?" he demanded.
"Haven't I been always one of your best church members, and now when
I'm to be married, ye lock the church against me, and say that the key
is lost. What will Susie think?