rushing weight of vines, and its broken panels
repaired, so that it now only needed a coat of paint to make it look as
good as new. Back of the house they had cleared an acre of what had
formerly been the kitchen-garden, and had opened a broad avenue down to
the river, so that the back windows of the house now looked out upon it
and the village beyond.

Late on Saturday evening Captain Johnson returned to Wakulla with a
lighter-load of shingles, window-blinds, fence-pickets, and assorted
lumber. He also brought the skiff that Mr. Elmer had commissioned him
to buy.

The next day being Sunday, every member of the little community was
prepared to enjoy a well-earned rest. During the morning they all
crossed the river to the village, leaving "Go Bang" closed, and
unprotected save by "Bruce," as the children had named the wounded dog.

In the village they found the little church closed and empty; so they
went to the house of Mr. Bevil, whom they found at home, and who
introduced them to his family. Mrs. Bevil expressed great pleasure at
meeting Mrs. Elmer, and apologized for not having called; and Ruth was
delighted to find that the eldest of the three Bevil children was a
girl of about her own age, named Grace.

In reply to Mr. Elmer's inquiries, the Bevils said that no regular
services were held in the church, and that it was only opened when some
preacher happened to visit them.

Mr. Elmer proposed that they should organize a Sunday-school, to be
held in the church every Sunday, and that they should make a beginning
that very day.

To this the Bevils gladly consented, and two servants were immediately
sent out--one to open the church and ring the bell, and the other to
invite all the colored people of the place to meet there in an hour.

Then the Elmers and Bevils went together to the house of Mr. Carter,
the other white man of the village. Here were two children, a girl and
a boy, both younger than Ruth; and Mr. and Mrs. Carter readily agreed
to help establish the Sunday-school, and promised to be at the church
at the appointed time.

When the Elmers entered the church they found nearly fifty men, women,
and children assembled, and waiting with eager curiosity to see what
was going to be done. The church was as dilapidated as most of the
buildings in the village, and many of its windows were broken. In that
climate, where snow is unknown and frost comes but seldom, this made
little difference, and this Sunday w