like the meenister who went into
the pulpit with his sermon. He had not looked at it since he had put
it away the night before, and the mice had got at it and had eaten all
the firstly, the secondly and the thirdly, and there was vurry little
left--vurry little left, Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen. But the meenister
would jist be explaining his dilemma to the people. 'My dearly beloved
brethren,' he said, said he, 'I am vurry sorry to inform you that the
mice have got at my sermon, and have eaten firstly, secondly and
thirdly, but as it cannot be helped, my dearly beloved brethren, we
will jist be commencing _where the mice left off_!'"

Even the mice had to join in the laugh on themselves, and when Jock had
given the few words of his fourthly which were left, every one, himself
included, was in fine humour.

The last speaker was Alexander Graham's wealthy brother. William
Graham had been the most successful, from one point of view, of all
Algonquin's returning sons. He had got together enough wealth, folk
said, to buy out Algonquin twice over. Beside, he had become quite
famous in political life in his adopted country, and rumour had it that
he might have been President of the United States had he not been born
in Canada. William himself denied this, but he could not deny the
honours his adopted country had showered upon him. His name was a
power in Washington circles, and he had more than once, gone abroad on
international matters of grave import.

Nevertheless, Algonquin received him with some embarrassment mingled
with her joy and pride. Bill Graham, the Algonquin boy, was a welcome
sight to every one, for he had always been popular. But, W. H. Graham,
the great American, was quite another matter, and many of his warmest
friends had an uncomfortable feeling that they were committing an act
of disloyalty to Britain in thus making him publicly welcome. It was
all right to make money out of the Yankees, and Bill was commended for
his millions, but to join the enemy and help it work out its problems
was a dangerous precedent to set before the youth of the town.

He made a very wise speech, saying very little about the States, and a
great deal about his joy at getting home again, but when he sat down,
the applause was not quite as enthusiastic as had been given the other
home-comers and Lawyer Ed's warm heart was grieved. As they stood up
to sing the National Anthem before dispersing, like true sons of
Algon