that at the proper time Santa Claus will appear, with a
well-furnished sled. Sharp on time."

"Well-furnished!--but there again--I don't believe we can raise money
enough for that."

"How much money?" asked Dillwyn, with an amused smile.

"O, I can't tell--I suppose a hundred dollars at least."

"I have as much as that lying useless--it may just as well do some
good. It never was heard that anybody but Santa Claus furnished his own
sled. If you will allow me, I will take care of that."

"How splendid!" cried Madge. "But it is too much; it wouldn't be right
for us to let you do all that for a church that is nothing to you."

"On the contrary, you ought to encourage me in my first endeavours to
make myself of some use in the world. Miss Madge, I have never, so far,
done a bit of good in my life."

"O, Mr. Dillwyn! I cannot believe that. People do not grow useful so
all of a sudden, without practice," said Madge, hitting a great general
truth.

"It is a fact, however," said he, half lightly, and yet evidently
meaning what he said. "I have lived thirty-two years in the
world--nearly thirty-three--without making my life of the least use to
anybody so far as I know. Do you wonder that I seize a chance?"

Lois's eyes were suddenly lifted, and then as suddenly lowered; she did
not speak.

"I can read that," he said laughingly, for his eyes had caught the
glance. "You mean, if I am so eager for chances, I might make them!
Miss Lois, I do not know how."

"Come, Philip," said Mrs. Barclay, "you are making your character
unnecessarily bad. I know you better than that. Think what you have
done for me."

"I beg your pardon," said he. "Think what you have done for me. That
score cannot be reckoned to my favour. Have no scruples, Miss Madge,
about employing me. Though I believe Miss Lois thinks the good of this
undertaking a doubtful one. How many children does your school number?"

"All together,--and they would be sure for once to be all
together!--there are a hundred and fifty."

"Have you the names?"

"O, certainly."

"And ages--proximately?"

"Yes, that too."

"And you know something, I suppose, about many of them; something about
their families and conditions?"

"About _all_ of them?" said Madge. "Yes, indeed we do."

"Till Mrs. Barclay came, you must understand," put in Lois here, "we
had nothing, or not much, to study besides Shampuashuh; so we studied
that."

"And since Mrs. Barclay came?--" asked