eigh anchor while my soundings was
good."

"But isn't it bad form for you to desert like this?" she asked, her big
eyes dancing mischievously.

"I ain't exactly deserting, I cal'late. If I'd been able to pitch into
that crew and shake the devil out of 'em, I'd stayed on deck. But----"

"I want you to go back with me. It's getting too funny to miss!"

"I ain't got much hankering for them officers' meeting, Beth. It makes
me feel like busting chairs on their heads."

"But you must go back! You should hear what he is saying to them.
Come!"

Before the seaman could obey the summons, Miss Edna Splinter emerged
from the rear door. She hurried toward the two. Miss Splinter was one of
those fine spinsters which one so often finds stranded in small villages
located near large cities. She was one of the few friends of the Captain
in Little River.

"It's the most disgusting thing I ever saw or heard!" declared Miss
Splinter, angrily stamping her foot.

"It's really too funny for words!" exclaimed Elizabeth.

"What in tarnation is he doing to them?"

"Doing to them!" flashed Miss Splinter indignantly. "My word! It's what
they're trying to do to him. It is positively disgraceful."

The seaman decided that a scene which could have such opposite effects
on two of his best friends must at least be interesting. He knocked the
tobacco from his pipe and followed them inside. As he listened, his
interest grew, not so much in the ecclesiastical storm of big words, as
in the wildly gesticulating clergymen. The moderator had risen and was
rapping loudly for order.

"Brethren!" he thundered. "It is time that we recognize some of our
laymen. I see Mr. Harry Beaver of this church asking for the floor. Mr.
Beaver may speak."

"M-Mr. Ch-chairman, does M-Mr. Mc-McGowan b-believe in e-ev----"

The unfortunate man blinked, backed, pumped, emitted a series of hissing
sounds like escaping steam, but remained hopelessly stuck. Those round
him dodged his foot gestures, and smiled appreciatively, while those not
engaged in trying to escape mutilation of corns, encouragingly suggested
words such as everlasting, everpresent, etc., which might have bearing
on the subject previously under discussion. The little man spurned them
all with vigorous backings and increased hissings. At last, between a
discouraged hiss and a triumphant sputter, the awful word rolled out.

"Evolution!" he shouted, and sat down.

After the laughter had subsided, t