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drawn by a four…horse team gaily adorned； filled with some fifty
men； singing and shouting with all their might； were coming down
the hill road at full gallop。 Round the corner they swung； dashed
at full speed across the bridge and down the street； and pulled up
after they had made the circuit of a block； to the great admiration
of the onlookers。 Among others Slavin sauntered up good…naturedly；
making himself agreeable to Sandy and those who were helping to
unhitch his team。
'Oh； you need not take trouble with me or my team； Mike Slavin。
Batchees and me and the boys can look after them fine；' said Sandy
coolly。
This rejecting of hospitality was perfectly understood by Slavin
and by all。
'Dat's too bad； heh？' said Baptiste wickedly； 'and； Sandy； he's got
good money on his pocket for sure； too。' The boys laughed； and
Slavin； joining in； turned away with Keele and Blaney； but by the
look in his eye I knew he was playing 'Br'er Rabbit；' and lying
low。
Mr。 Craig just then came up； 'Hello； boys！ too late for Punch and
Judy； but just in time for hot coffee and doughnuts。'
'Bon； dat's fuss rate；' said Baptiste heartily； 'where you keep
him？'
'Up in the tent next the church there。 The miners are all in。'
'Ah； dat so？ Dat's bad news for the shantymen； heh； Sandy？' said
the little Frenchman dolefully。
'There was a clothes…basket full of doughnuts and a boiler of
coffee left as I passed just now；' said Craig encouragingly。
'Allons； mes garcons； vite！ never say keel！' cried Baptiste
excitedly； stripping off the harness。
But Sandy would not leave the horses till they were carefully
rubbed down； blanketed； and fed； for he was entered for the four…
horse race and it behoved him to do his best to win。 Besides； he
scorned to hurry himself for anything so unimportant as eating；
that he considered hardly worthy even of Baptiste。 Mr。 Craig
managed to get a word with him before he went off； and I saw Sandy
solemnly and emphatically shake his head； saying； 'Ah！ we'll beat
him this day；' and I gathered that he was added to the vigilance
committee。
Old man Nelson was busy with his own team。 He turned slowly at Mr。
Craig's greeting； 'How is it； Nelson？' and it was with a very grave
voice he answered； 'I hardly know； sir； but I am not gone yet；
though it seems little to hold to。'
'All you want for a grip is what your hand can cover。 What would
you have？ And besides； do you know why you are not gone yet？'
The old man waited； looking at the minister gravely。
'Because He hasn't let go His grip of you。'
'How do you know He's gripped me？'
'Now； look here； Nelson； do you want to quit this thing and give it
all up？'
'No； no！ For heaven's sake； no！ Why； do you think I have lost
it？' said Nelson； almost piteously。
'Well； He's keener about it than you； and I'll bet you haven't
thought it worth while to thank Him。'
'To thank Him；' he repeated； almost stupidly； 'for'
'For keeping you where you are overnight；' said Mr。 Craig； almost
sternly。
The old man gazed at the minister； a light growing in his eyes。
'You're right。 Thank God； you're right。' And then he turned
quickly away； and went into the stable behind his team。 It was a
minute before he came out。 Over his face there was a trembling
joy。
'Can I do anything for you to…day？' he asked humbly。
'Indeed you just can；' said the minister； taking his hand and
shaking it very warmly； and then he told him Slavin's programme and
ours。
'Sandy is all right till after his race。 After that is his time of
danger；' said the minister。
'I'll stay with him； sir；' said old Nelson； in the tone of a man
taking a covenant； and immediately set off for the coffee…tent。
'Here comes another recruit for your corps；' I said； pointing to
Leslie Graeme； who was coming down the street at that moment in his
light sleigh。
'I am not so sure。 Do you think you could get him？'
I laughed。 'You are a good one。'
'Well；' he replied； half defiantly； 'is not this your fight too？'
'You make me think so； though I am bound to say I hardly recognise
myself to day。 But here goes；' and before I knew it I was
describing our plans to Graeme； growing more and more enthusiastic
as he sat in his sleigh； listening with a quizzical smile I didn't
quite like。
'He's got you too；' he said； 'I feared so。'
'Well；' I laughed； 'perhaps so。 But I want to lick that man
Slavin。 I've just seen him； and he's just what Craig calls him； 〃a
slick son of the devil。〃 Don't be shocked； he says it is
Scripture。'
'Revised version；' said Graeme gravely； while Craig looked a little
abashed。
'What is assigned me； Mr。 Craig？ for I know that this man is simply
your agent。'
I repudiated the idea； while Mr。 Craig said nothing。
'What's my part？' demanded Graeme。
'Well；' said Mr。 Craig hesitatingly； 'of course I would do nothing
till I had consulted you； but I want a man to take my place at the
sports。 I am referee。'
'That's all right；' said Graeme； with an air of relief； 'I expected
something hard。'
'And then I thought you would not mind presiding at dinnerI want
it to go off well。'
'Did you notice that？' said Graeme to me。 'Not a bad touch； eh？'
'That's nothing to the way he touched me。 Wait and learn；' I
answered； while Craig looked quite distressed。 'He'll do it； Mr。
Craig； never fear；' I said； 'and any other little duty that may
occur to you。'
'Now that's too bad of you。 That is all I want； honour bright；' he
replied； adding； as he turned away； 'you are just in time for a cup
of coffee； Mr。 Graeme。 Now I must see Mrs。 Mavor。'
'Who is Mrs。 Mavor？' I demanded of Graeme。
'Mrs。 Mavor？ The miners' guardian angel。'
We put up the horses and set off for coffee。 As we approached the
booth Graeme caught sight of the Punch and Judy show； stood still
in amazement； and exclaimed； 'Can the dead live？'
'Punch and Judy never die；' I replied solemnly。
'But the old manipulator is dead enough； poor old beggar！'
'But he left his mantle； as you see。'
He looked at me a moment
'What！ do you mean； you？'
'Yes； that is exactly what I do mean。'
'He is great man； that Craig fellowa truly great man。'
And then he leaned up against a tree and laughed till the tears
came。 'I say； old boy； don't mind me；' he gasped； 'but do you
remember the old 'Varsity show？'
'Yes； you villain； and I remember your part in it。 I wonder how
you can； even at this remote date； laugh at it。' For I had a vivid
recollection of how； after a 'chaste and highly artistic
performance of this mediaeval play' had been given before a
distinguished Toronto audience； the trap door by which I had
entered my box was fastened； and I was left to swelter in my cage；
and forced to listen to the suffocated laughter from the wings and
the stage whispers of 'Hello； Mr。 Punch； where's the baby？' And
for many a day after I was subjected to anxious inquiries as to the
locality and health of 'the baby；' and whether it was able to be
out。
'Oh； the dear old days！' he kept saying； over and over； in a tone
so full of sadness that my heart grew sore for him and I forgave
him； as many a time before。