te perfect--excepting Miss O'Connor," Tim answered
with a blush.

"Nothing perfect! Then we must fight. Take down your blackthorn, Tim,
and get your muscle up."

In this manner he passed from one to another, and the "Mercury" staff
was one broad smile of joy and satisfaction, for they all loved the big,
ugly man.

A week after his return the picnic was arranged. Kathleen O'Connor and
Molly Healy had charge of the minutiae, while Denis ordered the big
things, and opened his purse to its widest extent.

"They shall remember this, every one of them, right down to the babies
in arms," he said. "They welcomed me when I returned; it is for me to
show my gratitude."

At one o'clock the adults assembled for dinner in the large marquee. Old
Samuel Quirk was wheeled in in an invalid chair, but, though he smiled
urbanely on the company, he did not gather the significance of the
proceedings, for he was now as much an infant as the head compositor's
youngest baby. Father Healy came to bless the proceedings, and Dr. Marsh
to stand by in case of sickness. After the dinner Cairns rose to his
feet, to the sound of loud applause.

"Reverend Father, ladies and gentlemen," he began; "I want you to drink
the health of the finest man in Grey Town. Mr. Quirk went away against
our wish, and he has not come back a minute too soon. We needed him all
the time he was in Melbourne. The 'Mercury' missed his power of
organisation, his splendid gift of pugnacity. The old gang has been
broken up, but there are a few of the same type prowling about. See that
your gun is loaded and cocked, Quirk; there is plenty of shooting to be
done in this town yet."

"Ebenezer?" Denis Quirk asked, with a broad grin.

"Ebenezer is crippled, but a few of the same species remain with us,"
replied Cairns. "We will put you back into the Council, and send you to
Parliament if you like."

At this there was loud applause, while from the distance could be heard
the sound of a baby squalling.

Before Cairns could continue his speech Molly Healy appeared at the door
and cried out to Mrs. Crawford, the baby's mother:

"You will have to come to him yourself. Sure, I fancy he must have
swallowed a pin, and it is scratching his inside."

Mrs. Crawford sprang from her seat and hurried to the succour of her
offspring, while Molly remarked to Cairns:

"No wonder the child is scared, with you shouting so loud."

Thereupon she whisked out of the marquee.

"We want a