“Gladly, Clarence.”
“Good! thank you. Come on,” and Clarence seized his hat.
“But what’s your hurry, Clarence?” asked Father Keenan, laying a detaining hand upon the eager neophyte.
“Isn’t this rather sudden, my boy?” inquired Mr. Esmond.
“It’s not at all sudden,” Clarence made answer. “I’ve been thinking about this and preparing for this ever since I met Dora. Do you think I want to go to bed to-night with original sin and all my life’s wickedness on my soul when I can get it off in a few minutes? Of course, I’m in a hurry.”
“Put your hat down, Clarence,” ordered the Rector. “But I promise you this: you’ll be baptized and made a child of God and heir of heaven before you go to bed tonight. And now, Mr. and Mrs. Esmond, I want you to come out and meet Dora, who did so much for Clarence and whom Clarence saved from the gypsies; John Rieler, who rescued Clarence from the river; and Dora’s parents and big brother. For the next hour, we are going to hold a symposium. Clarence will tell his story from the time he left McGregor till he took to the river; John Rieler will take up the theme and tell how he came to make Clarence’s acquaintance; I, myself, will describe the boy’s first appearance at Campion, and with the help of Will Benton will tell the tale of our visit to the gypsy camp and rescue of Dora.”
As everybody following hard upon introduction insisted upon talking at once, Father Keenan experienced no little difficulty in carrying out the proposed program. It was fully an hour before the story—the strange romance of the upper Mississippi—was clearly unfolded to the wondering grown folks.
“I say,” urged Clarence, when the various adventures had been adequately commented on, “isn’t it time for me to be baptized?”
“Oh,” said Dora. “Is it all arranged?”
“Yes, Dora.”