"By Jinks!" exclaimed Maxwell, unclerically. "We'll have that tent up
this very afternoon--if Nickey will lend it to us, second hand, and
get his men together."
Nickey flushed with delight. "You betcher life I will," he shouted
excitedly. "Is it for a revival stunt? You 'aint goin' to live there,
are you?"
"That's just what we are going to do, if Jonathan and you'll lend us
the tent for a few months. Mr. Bascom wants to let the rectory to some
other tenants, and we've got to find somewhere else to lay our heads.
Why, it's the very way! There's not a thing against it, that I can
see. Let's go and see the tent, and consult Mrs. Burke. Come along,
both of you."
And off they hurried, like three children bent on a new game. It was
soon arranged, and Hepsey rose to the occasion with her usual vim. To
her and Nickey the transportation of the tent was consigned, while
Maxwell went off to purchase the necessary boarding for a floor, and
Mrs. Betty returned to the rectory to pack up their belongings.
"We'll have to occupy our new quarters to-night," said Maxwell, "or
our friend the enemy may raid the church lot in the night, and vanish
with tent and all."
An hour or so later, when Maxwell arrived at the church, clad in
overalls and riding on a wagon of planks, he found Mrs. Burke and
Nickey with a contingent of stalwarts awaiting him. There was a heap
of canvas and some coils of rope lying on the ground near by. Hepsey
greeted him with a smile from under the shade of her sun-bonnet.
"You seem ready for business, even if you don't look a little bit like
the Archbishop of Canterbury in that rig," she remarked. "I'm afraid
there'll be an awful scandal in the parish if you go wanderin' around
dressed like a carpenter; but it can't be helped; and if the Bishop
excommunicates you, I'll give you a job on the farm."
"I don't mind about the looks of it; but I suppose the vestry will
have something to say about our camping on church property."
"That needn't worry you. Maybe it'll bring 'em to their senses, and
maybe, they'll be ashamed when they see their parson driven out of his
house and havin' to live in a tent,--though I 'aint holdin' out much
hope of that, to you. Folks that are the most religious are usually
the hardest to shame. I always said, financially speakin', that
preachin' wasn't a sound business. It's all give and no get; but this
is the first time I've ever heard of a parish wanting a parson to
preach without eating and to sleep without a roof over his head. Most
of us seem to forget that rectors are human being like the rest of us.
If religion is worth havin', it's worth payin' for."
The planking was soon laid, and the erection of the tent was left to
Nickey's captaining--all hands assisting. With his manual in one hand
he laid it out, rope by rope, poles in position, and each helper at
his place. Then at a word, up it soared, with a "bravo" from the
puzzled onlookers.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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