nt every one to know your
little game."

Thus adjured, Philip swallowed a large gulp of wine, to keep down his
feelings, and strove to appear interested in the habits and caprices of
bees, a subject into which Mr. Dyceworthy had just inveigled Duprez and
Macfarlane.

"Come and see my bees," said the Reverend Charles almost pathetically.
"They are emblems of ever-working and patient industry,--storing up
honey for others to partake thereof."

"They wudna store it up at a', perhaps, if they knew that," observed
Sandy significantly.

Mr. Dyceworthy positively shone all over with beneficence.

"They _would_ store it up, sir; yes, they would, even if they knew! It
is God's will that they should store it up; it is God's will that they
should show an example of unselfishness, that they should flit from
flower to flower sucking therefrom the sweetness to impart into strange
palates unlike their own. It is a beautiful lesson; it teaches us who
are the ministers of the Lord to likewise suck the sweetness from the
flowers of the living gospel, and impart it gladly to the unbelievers
who shall find it sweeter than the sweetest honey!"

And he shook his head piously several times, while the pores of his fat
visage exuded holy oil. Duprez sniggered secretly. Macfarlane looked
preternaturally solemn.

"Come," repeated the reverend gentleman, with an inviting smile. "Come
and see my bees,--also my strawberries! I shall be delighted to send a
basket of the fruit to the yacht, if Sir Philip will permit me?"

Errington expressed his thanks with due courtesy, and hastened to seize
the opportunity that presented itself for breaking away from the party.

"If you will excuse us for twenty minutes or so, Mr. Dyceworthy," he
said, "Lorimer and I want to consult a fellow here in Bosekop about some
new fishing tackle. We shan't be gone long. Mac, you and Duprez wait for
us here. Don't commit too many depredations on Mr. Dyceworthy's
strawberries."

The reason for their departure was so simply and naturally given, that
it was accepted without any opposing remarks. Duprez was delighted to
have the chance of amusing himself by harassing the Reverend Charles
with open professions of utter atheism, and Macfarlane, who loved an
argument more than he loved whiskey, looked forward to a sharp
discussion presently concerning the superiority of John Knox, morally
and physically, over Martin Luther. So that when the others went their
way, their