boys to goin' back there an' disturb the meetin'." So Jones he
worked his way back to where Smith was, an' the moderator watched him go
up to Smith and jest speak to him 'bout ten seconds; an' after that
Smith never peeped once. After the meetin' was over, the moderator says
to Jones, "Brother Jones," he says, "what did you say to Brother Smith
to-night that shut him up so quick?" "I ast him fer a dollar for For'n
Missions," says Brother Jones, 'an', wa'al,' I says to Tenaker, 'that's
what I done to Staples.'"

"Did Mr. Tenaker see the point?" asked John, laughing.

"He laughed a little," said David, "but didn't quite ketch on till I
told him about the subscription paper, an' then he like to split."

"Suppose Staples had taken you up," suggested John.

"Wa'al," said David, "I didn't think I was takin' many chances. If, in
the fust place, I hadn't knowed Staples as well 's I did, the Smith
fam'ly, so fur 's my experience goes, has got more members 'n any other
fam'ly on top of the earth." At this point a boy brought in a telegram.
David opened it, gave a side glance at his companion, and, taking out
his pocketbook, put the dispatch therein.

CHAPTER XLII.

The next morning David called John into the rear room. "Busy?" he asked.

"No," said John. "Nothing that can't wait."

"Set down," said Mr. Harum, drawing a chair to the fire. He looked up
with his characteristic grin. "Ever own a hog?" he said.

"No," said John, smiling.

"Ever feel like ownin' one?"

"I don't remember ever having any cravings in that direction."

"Like pork?" asked Mr. Harum.

"In moderation," was the reply. David produced from his pocketbook the
dispatch received the day before and handed it to the young man at his
side. "Read that," he said.

John looked at it and handed it back.

"It doesn't convey any idea to my mind," he said.

"What?" said David, "you don't know what 'Bangs Galilee' means? nor who
'Raisin' is?"

"You'll have to ask me an easier one," said John, smiling.

David sat for a moment in silence, and then, "How much money have you
got?" he asked.

"Well," was the reply, "with what I had and what I have saved since I
came I could get together about five thousand dollars, I think."

"Is it where you c'n put your hands on't?"

John took some slips of paper from his pocketbook and handed them to
David.

"H'm, h'm," said the latter. "Wa'al, I owe ye quite a little bunch o'
money, don't I? Forty-five hund