knife and
fork among the other heroes of the fight in a state of inexpressible
felicity.

"You rascal!" exclaimed his father; "you should have been in bed long
ago! But why are you so glad that Joan set the house on fire?"

"Because she gave me the chance to save Blackie's life!" replied Junkie,
with supreme contentment.

The company laughed, and continued their meal, but some of them recalled
the proverb which states that "the boy is father to the man," and
secretly prophesied a heroic career for Junkie.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ten months passed away, during which period Allan Gordon retired to his
residence in Argyllshire while his mansion in the Western Island was
being restored. During the same period Archie produced innumerable hazy
photographs of Kinlossie House in a state of conflagration; Eddie
painted several good copies of the bad painting into which Milly Moss
had introduced a megatherium cow and other specimens of violent
perspective; and Junkie underwent a few terrible paroxysms of intense
hatred of learning in all its aspects, in which paroxysms he was much
consoled by the approval and sympathy of dear little Flo.

During this period, also, Mabberly applied himself to his duties in
London, unaffected by the loss of the _Fairy_, and profoundly interested
in the success of his friend Barret, who had devoted himself heart and
head to natural history, with a view to making that science his
profession, though his having been left a competence by his father
rendered a profession unnecessary, from a financial point of view. As
for Giles Jackman, that stalwart "Woods-and-Forester" returned to his
adopted land, accompanied by the faithful Quin, and busied himself in
the activities of his adventurous career, while he sought to commend the
religion of Jesus alike to native and European, both by precept and
example, proving the great truth that "godliness is profitable unto all
things, having promise of the life which now is, and of that which is to
come." MacRummle, during the same period, spent much time in his study,
writing for publication an elaborate treatise on fishing, with a few
notes on shooting, in the Western Isles. He was encouraged in this work
by a maiden sister who worshipped him, and by the presence of an
enormous stuffed eagle in a corner of his study.

One day, towards the close of this period of ten months, a beautiful
little woman and