I am,' read the first verse, and then
went on: 'There you are, men, every man of you, somewhere on the road.
Some of you are too lazy'--here Graeme nudged me--'and some of you
haven't got enough yet of the far country to come back. May there be a
chance for you when you want to come! Men, you all want to go back home,
and when you go you'll want to put on your soft clothes, and you won't
go till you can go in good style; but where did the prodigal get his
good clothes?' Quick came the answer in Baptiste's shrill voice--

'From de old fadder!'

No one was surprised, and the minister went on--

'Yes! and that's where we must get the good, clean heart, the good,
clean, brave heart, from our Father. Don't wait, but, just as you are,
come. Sing.'

They sang, not loud, as they would 'Stand Up,' or even 'The Sweet By and
By,' but in voices subdued, holding down the power in them.

After the singing, Craig stood a moment gazing down at the men, and then
said quietly--

'Any man want to come? You all might come. We all must come.' Then,
sweeping his arm over the audience, and turning half round as if to move
off, he cried, in a voice that thrilled to the heart's core--

'Oh! come on! Let's go back!'

The effect was overpowering. It seemed to me that the whole company
half rose to their feet. Of the prayer that immediately followed, I
only caught the opening sentence, 'Father, we are coming back,' for
my attention was suddenly absorbed by Abe, the stage-driver, who was
sitting next me. I could hear him swearing approval and admiration,
saying to himself--

'Ain't he a clinker! I'll be gee-whizzly-gol-dusted if he ain't a
malleable-iron-double-back-action self-adjusting corn-cracker.' And
the prayer continued to be punctuated with like admiring and even
more sulphurous expletives. It was an incongruous medley. The earnest,
reverent prayer, and the earnest, admiring profanity, rendered chaotic
one's ideas of religious propriety. The feelings in both were akin; the
method of expression somewhat widely diverse.

After prayer, Craig's tone changed utterly. In a quiet, matter-of-fact,
businesslike way he stated his plan of organisation, and called for all
who wished to join to remain after the benediction. Some fifty men were
left, among them Nelson, Sandy, Lachlan Campbell, Baptiste, Shaw, Nixon,
Geordie, and Billy Breen, who tried to get out, but was held fast by
Geordie.

Graeme was passing out, but I signed him to rem