wn upon the roof over his head. It
sounded like music to his ears, for it would mean rest that day from
the toil of the field. There were several things he wished to do, and
the rain was just what he needed. There would be no work in the field,
so he would be free to go where he wished.

Jake had been at the meeting the night before and was very talkative.

"What happened to ye when the meetin' was over?" he enquired, as they
sat down to breakfast.

"Oh, I waited around a while to watch the speakers and the chairman,"
Douglas replied.

"Did ye ever see a real live archdeacon before?"

"Yes, I have seen several."

"Ye don't tell! Well, that was the first one I ever sot me eyes on
one. But, say, what was them things he had on his legs?"

"Gaiters, I think they are called."

"H'm, the same as the Bishop wears, eh? But what are they good fer?"

"They are a sign of his position, I suppose. I really know nothing
more about the matter than you do."

"But what's the good of archdeacons, anyway? If they're all like the
one we saw last night, I wouldn't give much fer the hull bunch."

"They are supposed to help the Bishop, so I understand."

"Help him, eh? Well, I guess that feller didn't help much in settlin'
matters in this parish. Why, he made a mess of the hull affair."

"In what way?"

"Why, don't ye remember how riled he got when he was asked questions?
He put his foot in it, too, when he said that a parson would do fer
Rixton who had been kicked out of St. Margaret's in the city."

"He didn't really say that."

"No, not exactly in them words, but that was what he meant, an' we all
took it that way."

"So you think that the archdeacon made it all the harder for the new
clergyman by what he said last night, do you?" Douglas asked.

"Sure," Jake replied, as he helped himself to another pancake. "Didn't
ye notice the feelin' in the meetin', an' how Si changed? Why, he
looked jist like a thunder cloud about to bust. I sartinly do pity the
new parson. He's goin' to have a hard time of it, mark my word."

"I had a little talk with Stubbles after the meeting," Douglas quietly
remarked.

"Ye did, eh?" and Jake's eyes glowed with interest. "Was he surprised
to see ye?"

"I believe so. He thought I was going to knock him down, and he raved
like a madman. But I told him a few straight facts which he is not
likely to forget."

"Ye did, eh? Bully fer you! But be careful, John. Si won't fer