As to religious services, a prayer meeting is held every Sunday evening in the schoolhouse and Sunday School in the afternoon, but there is no resident minister. Occasionally the clergyman at Friendship, near Bristol, comes over to preach, and the faithful coast missionary who works among remote islanders and lighthouse keepers brings reading matter and ministers to the spiritual wants of the people. Among the islanders are Free Masons, Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias and Red Men, who conduct the funeral services.
"It calls to mind the ould counthry," said Mike Murphy, when the Deerfoot had started homeward.
"How?" asked Chester at his side.
"It's so different; think if ye can of any part of Ireland living for a waak, lit alone months and years, widout a shindy."
"There are few sections in our own country of which that can be said."
"It taxes me mind to thry to draw the painful picter; let us think of something else."
Since the weather was favorable, Captain Landon made a circuit farther south, leaving the small White Islands on his left, the Hypocrites on his right, and so on into the broad bay, whose western boundary is Southport.
"I say, Captain," suddenly called Mike.
"What is it?" asked Landon, looking partly round.
"If ye have no objiction I should like to take a thrick at the wheel."