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 that their call upon John partook of a character quite foreign to their instructions. They had no questions to ask, but assertions to make, based upon the assumption of Matthew's veracity. They must proceed without delay to call John to account, and demand his explanation for so flagrant a breach of all proprieties in a Christian assembly and placing the meeting in an unfavorable light before the whole world. Their zeal as inquisitors was growing rapidly warmer, when Robert Pearson, looking out of the shop door, exclaimed, "His Majesty's ghost, John, here come three owls on horseback!"

"Not all on one horse, I hope," replied John, coming to the door.

Sure enough, there, coming up the road, were the three Friends, their horses walking with weary steps, and the riders, as Robert suggested, looking "solemn, solemner, solemnest." "I'll go out the back way when they get near the front, and after a bit drop in, by accident-like." And Robert, with a broad grin, disappeared.