"Very true--very true, 'or the Commonwealth,' as you say, schoolmaster. He was rather what is called a hanging judge. Still, his red robes and flowing wig would be a great addition to the scene." "Let the man walk!" cried Mr. Huggins. "A solemn judge would be so good as a sermon to all the young youths for miles around, and show 'em what wickedness might bring 'em to at any moment." "You don't mean that, Mr. Huggins," explained Brendon, who knew the veteran. "You mean----" "We all know what he means," declared Mr. Taverner. "Well, you propose Jeffreys and I'll second it, Noah." "In due course--in due course. The judge shall pass committee in his proper turn," said Mr. Churchward. "Now, Spry, read as quickly as you can, but nothing's to be missed." "How long is the report?" asked Henry Norseman. "Twenty-four pages of foolscap and a half," answered the secretary. "I've written it all out twice, and it filled my spare time for three weeks doing it." "Let's take the thing as read!" suggested Mr. Taverner. But Nathaniel objected indignantly. "Not at all!" he said. "I won't have that. I appeal to the chair--three weeks' work----" "Don't want to have any words with you, postmaster; but all the same, without feeling, as a member of this committee, I propose we take the minutes as read," answered Taverner firmly. "Who'll second that?" asked Weekes. "I will," said Noah Pearn. Mr. Churchward sighed, shook his head tragically, and put his hand over his brow. "I do wish, Jacob Taverner, you would bend to the law of committees and listen to the chair," he begged. "Don't you understand me? I'm pretty good at making myself clear, I believe--it's my business to do so to the youthful mind--and I tell yuu it can't be done. Legally everything we enact before the minutes are read is nothing at all--a mere _lapsus lingua_, in fact." "Besides," said Daniel, "I beg to say I ought to hear the minutes--else how can I know what was settled at the first meeting?" "You're soon answered," replied Jarratt Weekes. "Nothing was settled at the first meeting." "I beg your pardon, Jarratt," said Adam Churchward. "That is neither kind nor true. A great deal was settled--else how would it take Nathaniel Spry twenty-four and a half pages of foolscap to put it all down? And no man writes a better or neater hand. Therefore I ask you to call back that statement." "There was a lot said--I admit. But surely you must allow there was mighty little done," retorted Weekes. "The question is whether the minutes are to be taken as read. I've proposed that and Pearn's seconded it," repeated Mr. Taverner. "And I rule it out of order, Taverner, so there's an end of that," answered Adam. "The question is if you can rule it out of order," replied Jacob Taverner. "Certainly he can. Bless the man, he's done it!" said Brendon.