arry will--look after me. Good-night."

Next morning Barry appeared at breakfast a little washed out in
appearance, but quite bright and announcing himself fit for anything.

The incident, however, was a determining factor in changing the party's
plans. Already they were behind their time schedule, to Mr. Cornwall
Brand's disgust. The party was too large and too heavily encumbered with
impedimenta for swift travel. Besides, as Paula said, "Why rush? Are we
not doing the Peace River Country? We are out for a good time and we
are having it." Paula was not interested in mines and oil. She did not
announce just what special interest was hers. She was "having a good
time" and that was reason enough for leisurely travel. In consequence
their provisions had run low.

It was decided to send forward a scouting party to the Hudson's Bay Post
some thirty miles further on to restock their commissariat. Accordingly
Knight and Fielding were despatched on this mission, the rest of the
party remaining in camp.

"A lazy day or two in camp is what we all need," said Mr. Howland. "I
confess I am quite used up myself, and therefore I know you must all
feel much the same."

On the fourth day the scouting party appeared.

"There's war!" cried Knight as he touched land. He flung out a bundle of
papers for Mr. Howland.

"War!" The word came back in tones as varied as those who uttered it.

"War!" said Mr. Howland. "Between whom?"

"Every one, pretty much," said Knight. "Germany, France, Russia,
Austria, Servia, Belgium, and Britain."

"Britain!" said Barry and Duff at the same moment.

"Britain," answered Knight solemnly.

The men stood stock still, looking at each other with awed faces.

"War!" again said Barry. "With Germany!" He turned abruptly away from
the group and said, "I am going."

"Going! Going where?" said Mr. Howland.

"To the war," said Barry quietly.

"To the war! You? A clergyman?" said Mr. Howland.

"You? You going?" cried Paula. At the pain in her voice her father and
Brand turned and looked at her. Disturbed by what he saw, her father
began an excited appeal to Barry.

"Why, my dear sir, it would surely be most unusual for a man like you
to go to war," he began, and for quite ten minutes he proceeded to set
forth in fluent and excited speech a number of reasons why the idea
of Barry's going to war was absurd and preposterous to him. It must be
confessed that Barry was the only one of the men who appeare