d require a little work, but otherwise he was none
the worse.

Jack went into the house, saying that he must brush his clothes; but,
really it was because he wished to get away. He did not care to talk
to anybody.

"I never felt so, in all my life, as I did when sitting on that roof,
fighting that fire," he said aloud, as he went upstairs; and he did not
know, even then, how excited he had been, silent and cool as he had
seemed. In that short time, he had dreamed of more cities than he was
ever likely to see, and of doing more great things than he could ever
possibly do, and when he came down the ladder he felt older than when
he went up. He had no idea that much the same thoughts had come to
Mary, nor did he know how fully she believed that he could do anything,
and that she was as capable as he.

"Father's splendid, too," she said, "but then he never had any chance,
here, and Mother didn't either. Jack ought to have a chance."

CHAPTER IV.

CAPTAIN MARY.

Mr. Murdoch had stood on the main street corner; taking notes for the
_Eagle_, but now he came back to say the fire was out and it was nearly
time for Sunday-school.

It seemed strange to have Sunday-school just after a fire, but the
Ogden family and its visitors at once made ready.

It was a quarterly meeting, with general exercises and singing, and a
review of the quarter's lessons. The church was full by the hour for
opening, and the school had a very prosperous look. Elder Holloway and
Mr. Murdoch and two other important men sat in the pulpit, and Joab
Spokes, the superintendent, stood in front of them to conduct the
exercises. The elder seemed to be glancing benevolently around the
room, through his spectacles, but there were some things there which
could be seen without glasses, and he must have seen those also.

Miss Glidden looked particularly well and very stately, as she sat in
the pew in front of her class (if it were hers), with Mary Ogden. Her
first words, on coming in to take command, had been:

"Mary, dear, don't go. I really wish you to stay. You may be of
assistance."

Mary flushed a little, but she said nothing in reply. She remained,
and she certainly did assist, for the girls looked at her almost all
the while, and Miss Glidden had no trouble whatever, and nothing to do
but to look pleased and beaming and dignified. The elder, it was
noticed, seemed to feel special interest in the part taken in the
exercises by the