e the
place.

"Is that the fierce bull?" said one.

"No," said Akela, "that's a sleepy old cow."

The man said he would mend the bat in time for to-morrow's match.

THE STORY OF ST. FRANCIS.--II.

The little church St. Francis had last restored was very wee, but it had
a very long name. It was called the Portiuncola, which meant "the little
portion." It was built all among the trees and long grass, and mossy,
fern-covered rocks; and the birds sang around it. St. Francis loved the
spot very much--it was like home to him--and he spent a lot of time
there. Besides, it was not far from the leper settlement, and he had now
taken on himself the rather horrible job of serving the poor lepers--a
job that was very pleasing to Our Lord, specially as He saw St. Francis
did it all for love of Him, and served each wretched man as if he was
Jesus Christ. Then, too, the Portiuncola was not very far from the town
where Francis begged his food.

Well, early one morning, while the sun shone outside on the dewy world,
and the birds sang their morning hymns of praise, a priest said Mass in
the little chapel, and St. Francis knelt praying with all his heart.
Presently the priest read out the Gospel, and, as usual, St. Francis
listened with great attention. And suddenly, as he listened, he felt
that those words of Our Lord which the priest was reading out were a
message from heaven for _him_--_the very "orders" he had been waiting
for_! These were the words:

"Going forth, preach, saying: The kingdom of heaven is at hand. . . .
Possess not gold, nor silver, nor money in your houses, nor scrip for
your journey, nor two coats, nor shoes, nor a staff; for the workman is
worthy of his meat. And into whatsoever city or town you shall enter,
inquire who in it is worthy, and there abide till you go hence. And when
you come into a house, salute it, saying: Peace be to this house. . . .
Behold I send you as sheep in the midst of wolves. Be ye therefore wise
as serpents, but simple as doves. . . . But when they shall deliver you
up, take no thought how or what to speak: for it shall be given you in
that hour what to speak" (Matt. x. 7-19).

Here were clear orders. Something in St. Francis answered to that call,
and this something was the Holy Spirit of God speaking in his heart, as
He always does in those who really wait and listen and _mean_ to obey
should God speak.

When the Mass was finished, St. Francis got the priest to read the wor