wife and babies will never see him on earth or in heaven。 There is
Sandy； too； and the rest。 And；' he added； in a lower tone； and
with the curious little thrill of pathos in his voice； 'this is the
day the Saviour came to the world。' He paused； and then with a
little sad smile； 'But I don't want to abuse you。'
'Do； I enjoy it； I'm a beast； a selfish beast'； for somehow his
intense； blazing earnestness made me feel uncomfortably small。
'What have we to offer？' I demanded。
'Wait till I have got these things cleared away； and my
housekeeping done。'
I pressed my services upon him； somewhat feebly； I own； for I can't
bear dishwater； but he rejected my offer。
'I don't like trusting my china to the hands of a tender…foot。'
'Quite right； though your china would prove an excellent means of
defence at long range。' It was delf； a quarter of an inch thick。
So I smoked while he washed up； swept； dusted； and arranged the
room。
After the room was ordered to his taste； we proceeded to hold
council。 He could offer dinner； magic lantern； music。 'We can
fill in time for two hours； but；' he added gloomily； 'we can't beat
the dance and the 〃High Kickers。〃'
'Have you nothing new or startling？'
He shook his head。
'No kind of show？ Dog show？ Snake charmer？'
'Slavin has a monopoly of the snakes。'
Then he added hesitatingly； 'There was an old Punch…and…Judy chap
here last year； but he died。 Whisky again。'
'What happened to his show？'
'The Black Rock Hotel man took it for board and whisky bill。 He
has it still； I suppose。'
I did not much relish the business； but I hated to see him beaten；
so I ventured； 'I have run a Punch and Judy in an amateur way at
the 'Varsity。'
He sprang to his feet with a yell。
'You have！ you mean to say it？ We've got them！ We've beaten
them！' He had an extraordinary way of taking your help for
granted。 'The miner chaps； mostly English and Welsh； went mad over
the poor old showman； and made him so wealthy that in sheer
gratitude he drank himself to death。'
He walked up and down in high excitement and in such evident
delight that I felt pledged to my best effort。
'Well；' I said； 'first the poster。 We must beat them in that。'
He brought me large sheets of brown paper； and after two hours'
hard work I had half a dozen pictorial showbills done in gorgeous
colours and striking designs。 They were good； if I do say it
myself。
The turkey； the magic lantern； the Punch and Judy show were all
there； the last with a crowd before it in gaping delight。 A few
explanatory words were thrown in； emphasising the highly artistic
nature of the Punch and Judy entertainment。
Craig was delighted； and proceeded to perfect his plans。 He had
some half a dozen young men； four young ladies； and eight or ten
matrons； upon whom he could depend for help。 These he organised
into a vigilance committee charged with the duty of preventing
miners and lumbermen from getting away to Slavin's。 'The critical
moments will be immediately before and after dinner； and then again
after the show is over；' he explained。 'The first two crises must
be left to the care of Punch and Judy； and as for the last； I am
not yet sure what shall be done'； but I saw he had something in his
head； for he added； 'I shall see Mrs。 Mavor。'
'Who is Mrs。 Mavor？' I asked。 But he made no reply。 He was a born
fighter； and he put the fighting spirit into us all。 We were bound
to win。
The sports were to begin at two o'clock。 By lunch…time everything
was in readiness。 After lunch I was having a quiet smoke in
Craig's shack when in he rushed； saying
'The battle will be lost before it is fought。 If we lose Quatre
Bras； we shall never get to Waterloo。'
'What's up？'
'Slavin； just now。 The miners are coming in； and he will have them
in tow in half an hour。'
He looked at me appealingly。 I knew what he wanted。
'All right； I suppose I must； but it is an awful bore that a man
can't have a quiet smoke。'
'You're not half a bad fellow；' he replied； smiling。 'I shall get
the ladies to furnish coffee inside the booth。 You furnish them
intellectual nourishment in front with dear old Punch and Judy。'
He sent a boy with a bell round the village announcing； 'Punch； and
Judy in front of the Christmas booth beside the church'； and for
three…quarters of an hour I shrieked and sweated in that awful
little pen。 But it was almost worth it to hear the shouts of
approval and laughter that greeted my performance。 It was cold
work standing about； so that the crowd was quite ready to respond
when Punch； after being duly hanged； came forward and invited all
into the booth for the hot coffee which Judy had ordered。
In they trooped； and Quatre Bras was won。
No sooner were the miners safely engaged with their coffee than I
heard a great noise of bells and of men shouting； and on reaching
the street I saw that the men from the lumber camp were coming in。
Two immense sleighs； decorated with ribbons and spruce boughs； each
drawn by a four…horse team gaily adorned； filled with some fifty
men； singing and shouting with all their might； were coming down
the hill road at full gallop。 Round the corner they swung； dashed
at full speed across the bridge and down the street； and pulled up
after they had made the circuit of a block； to the great admiration
of the onlookers。 Among others Slavin sauntered up good…naturedly；
making himself agreeable to Sandy and those who were helping to
unhitch his team。
'Oh； you need not take trouble with me or my team； Mike Slavin。
Batchees and me and the boys can look after them fine；' said Sandy
coolly。
This rejecting of hospitality was perfectly understood by Slavin
and by all。
'Dat's too bad； heh？' said Baptiste wickedly； 'and； Sandy； he's got
good money on his pocket for sure； too。' The boys laughed； and
Slavin； joining in； turned away with Keele and Blaney； but by the
look in his eye I knew he was playing 'Br'er Rabbit；' and lying
low。
Mr。 Craig just then came up； 'Hello； boys！ too late for Punch and
Judy； but just in time for hot coffee and doughnuts。'
'Bon； dat's fuss rate；' said Baptiste heartily； 'where you keep
him？'
'Up in the tent next the church there。 The miners are all in。'
'Ah； dat so？ Dat's bad news for the shantymen； heh； Sandy？' said
the little Frenchman dolefully。
'There was a clothes…basket full of doughnuts and a boiler of
coffee left as I passed just now；' said Craig encouragingly。
'Allons； mes garcons； vite！ never say keel！' cried Baptiste
excitedly； stripping off the harness。
But Sandy would not leave the horses till they were carefully
rubbed down； blanketed； and fed； for he was entered for the four…
horse race and it behoved him to do his best to win。 Besides； he
scorned to hurry himself for anything so unimportant as eating；
that he considered hardly worthy even of Baptiste。 Mr。 Craig
managed to get a word with him before he went off； and I saw Sandy
solemnly and emphatically shake his head； saying； 'Ah！ we'll beat
him this day；' and I gathered that he was added to the vigilance
committee。
Old man Nelson was busy with his own team。 He turned slowly at Mr。
Craig's greeting； 'How is it； Nelson？' and it was with a very grave
voice he answered； 'I hardly know； sir； but I am not gone yet；
though it seems little to hold to。'
'All you want for a grip is what your hand can cover。 What would
you have？ And besides； do you know why you are not gone yet？'
The old man waited； looking at the minister gravely。
'Because He hasn't let go His grip of you。'
'How do you know He's gripped me？'
'Now； look here； Nelson； do you want to quit this thing and give it
all up？'
'No； no！ For heaven's sake； no！ Why； do you think I have lost
it？' said Nelson； almost piteously。
'Well； He's keener about it than you； and I'll bet you haven't
thought it worth while to thank Him。'
'To thank Him；' he repeated； almost stupidly； 'for'
'For keeping you where you are overnight；' said Mr。 Craig； almost
sternly。
The old man gazed at the minister； a light growing in his eyes。
'You're right。 Thank God； you're right。' And then he turned
quickly away； and went into the stable behind his team。 It was a
minute before he came out。 Over his face there was a trembling
joy。
'Can I do anything for you to…day？' he asked humbly。
'Indeed you just can；' said the minister； taking his hand and
shaking it very warmly； and then he told him Slavin's programme and
ours。
'Sandy is all right till after his race。 After that is his time of
danger；' said the minister。
'I'll stay with him； sir；' said old Nelson； in the tone of a man
taking a covenant； and immediately set off for the coffee…tent。
'Here comes another recruit for your corps；' I said； pointing to
Leslie Graeme； who was coming down the street at that moment in his
light sleigh。
'I am not so sure。 Do you think you could get him？'
I laughed。 'You are a good one。'
'Well；' he replied； half defiantly； 'is not this your fight too？'
'You make me think so； though I am bound to say I hardly recognise
myself to day。 But here goes；' and before I knew it I was
describing our plans to Graeme； growing more and more enthusiastic
as he sat in his sleigh； listening with a quizzical smile I didn't
quite like。
'He's got you too；' he said； 'I feared so。'
'Well；' I laughed； 'perhaps so。 But I want to lick that man
Slavin。 I've just seen him； and he's just what Craig calls him； 〃a
slick son of the devil。〃 Don't be shocked； he says it is
Scripture。'
'Revised version；' said Graeme gravely； while Craig looked a little
abashed。
'What is assigned me； Mr。 Craig？ for I know that this man is simply
your agent。'
I repudiated the idea； while Mr。 Craig said nothing。
'What's my part？' demanded Graeme。
'Well；' said Mr。 Craig hesitatingly； 'of course I would do nothing
till I had consulted you； but I want a man to take my place at the
sports。 I am referee。'
'That's all right；' said Graeme； with an air of relief； 'I expected
something hard。'
'And then I thought you would not mind presiding at dinnerI want
it to go off well。'
'Did you notice that？' said Graeme