, it would probably do young Mr
Murchison no harm in any sort of way to accompany the deputation to
London and throw himself into the matter the deputation had at heart.

"But it's the Empire!" said Lorne, with a sort of shy fire, when Mr
Cruickshank enunciated this.

We need not, perhaps, dwell upon the significance of his agreement. It
was then not long since the maple leaf had been stained brighter than
ever, not without honour, to maintain the word that fell from him. The
three older men looked at him kindly; John Murchison, rubbing his chin
as he considered the situation, slightly shook his head. One took it
that in his view the Empire was not so readily envisaged.

"That has a strong bearing," Mr Cruickshank assented.

"It's the whole case--it seems to me," repeated young Murchison.

"It should help to knit us up," said Dr Drummond. "I'll put my name down
on the first passenger list, if Knox Church will let me off. See that
you have special rates," he added, with a twinkle, "for ministers and
missionaries."

"And only ten days to get him ready in," said Mrs Murchison. "It will
take some seeing to, I assure you; and I don't know how it's to be done
in the time. For once, Lorne, I'll have to order you ready-made shirts,
and you'll just have to put up with it. Nothing else could possibly get
back from the wash."

"I'll put up with it, Mother."

They went into other details of Lorne's equipment while Mrs Murchison's
eye still wandered over the necessities of his wardrobe. They arranged
the date on which he was to meet the members of the deputation in
Montreal, and Mr Cruickshank promised to send him all available
documents and such presentation of the project as had been made in the
newspapers.

"You shall be put in immediate possession of the bones of the thing,"
he said, "but what really matters," he added pleasantly, "I think you've
got already."

It took, of course, some discussion, and it was quite ten o'clock before
everything was gone into, and the prospect was clear to them all. As
they emerged into the hall together, the door of the room opposite also
opened, and the Rev. Hugh Finlay found himself added to their group.
They all made the best of the unexpected encounter. It was rather an
elaborate best, very polite and entirely grave, except in the instance
of Dr Drummond, who met his subaltern with a smile in which cordiality
struggled in vain to overcome the delighted humour.

CHAPTER XII