cene.

There was a moment's silence, and at a nod from Graeme Mr. Craig rose
and said, 'I don't know how you feel about it, men, but to me this looks
good enough to be thankful for.'

'Fire ahead, sir,' called out a voice quite respectfully, and the
minister bent his head and said-- 'For Christ the Lord who came to save
us, for all the love and goodness we have known, and for these Thy gifts
to us this Christmas night, our Father, make us thankful. Amen.'

'Bon, dat's fuss rate,' said Baptiste. 'Seems lak dat's make me hit
(eat) more better for sure,' and then no word was spoken for quarter of
an hour. The occasion was far too solemn and moments too precious for
anything so empty as words. But when the white piles of bread and the
brown piles of turkey had for a second time vanished, and after the
last pie had disappeared, there came a pause and hush of expectancy,
whereupon the cook and cookee, each bearing aloft a huge, blazing
pudding, came forth.

'Hooray!' yelled Blaney, 'up wid yez!' and grabbing the cook by the
shoulders from behind, he faced him about.

Mr. Craig was the first to respond, and seizing the cookee in the same
way, called out, 'Squad, fall in! quick march!' In a moment every man
was in the procession.

'Strike up, Batchees, ye little angel!' shouted Blaney, the appellation
a concession to the minister's presence; and away went Baptiste in a
rollicking French song with the English chorus--

'Then blow, ye winds, in the morning,
Blow, ye winds, ay oh!
Blow, ye winds, in the morning,
Blow, blow, blow.'

And at each 'blow' every boot came down with a thump on the plank floor
that shook the solid roof. After the second round, Mr. Craig jumped upon
the bench, and called out--

'Three cheers for Billy the cook!'

In the silence following the cheers Baptiste was heard to say, 'Bon!
dat's mak me feel lak hit dat puddin' all hup mesef, me.'

'Hear till the little baste!' said Blaney in disgust.

'Batchees,' remonstrated Sandy gravely, 'ye've more stomach than
manners.'

'Fu sure! but de more stomach dat's more better for dis puddin','
replied the little Frenchman cheerfully.

After a time the tables were cleared and pushed back to the wall, and
pipes were produced. In all attitudes suggestive of comfort the men
disposed themselves in a wide circle about the fire, which now roared
and crackled up the great wooden chimney hanging from the roof. T