snug Hillcrest rectory, rattling any
window which happened to be a little loose, and drawing the
forked-tongued flames writhing up the large commodious chimney.

When the third chuckle had been emitted, Mrs. Royal laid aside the
paper she had been reading and looked somewhat curiously at her husband.

"The missionary meeting must have been very amusing to-night, Daniel,"
she remarked. "It is too bad that I didn't go."

"Oh, no, it wasn't the meeting which was amusing," was the reply. "But
I must say it was the best one I ever attended. That missionary had a
great story to tell and he told it well. There was a good attendance,
too, especially for such a cold night. But you can't guess, my dear,
who was there."

"The Bishop?"

"No, no," and the parson rubbed his hands in glee and gave another
boyish chuckle. "Give it up, eh?" and his eyes sparkled as he turned
them upon his wife's puzzled face.

"Yes."

"I thought so. You could never guess, for you would never think of
Captain Josh."

"No, surely not, Daniel!" and Mrs. Royal, now all attention, drew her
chair a little closer to the fire. "What in the world took him there
to-night? I never knew him to go to church, let alone to a missionary
meeting."

"Oh, that is easily explained, dear. His only son, you know, is in the
Yukon, and he was anxious to hear about that country. He was certainly
the most interested person there, and after the meeting was over, he
walked right up to Mr. Dicer and asked him if he had met his son."

"And had he?" Mrs. Royal inquired.

"Yes; knew him well. Now, the way those two men did talk would have
done your heart good. To think of Captain Josh chatting with a
missionary, when for years he has been so much down on missions and
missionaries. That is one on the old captain, and I shall not forget
it when I see him again, ho, ho," and Parson Dan leaned back in his
comfortable chair and fairly shook with merriment.

"I hope that his interest will keep up," was Mrs. Royal's comment, as
she picked up the paper she had laid aside. "Perhaps he will learn
that missionaries are of some use in the world after all."

"I am afraid not, Martha," the parson returned, as he reached for his
pipe and tobacco lying on a little stand by his side. "It is only his
son which made him interested to-night, and that is as far as it goes."

"It might be the beginning, though, Daniel, who can tell? I always
liked Jimmy. He and Alec got