That was a hard job that Grenfell had set himself, and he knew it.  When you have a hard job to do, the best way is to go at it just as soon as ever you can and work at it as hard as ever you can until it is done.  That was Grenfell’s way, and as soon as he reached St. Johns he began to start things moving.  Someone else might have waited to return to England to make a formal report to the Deep Sea Missions Board, and await the Board’s approval.  Not so with Grenfell.  He knew the Board would approve, and time was valuable.

Down on The Labrador winter begins in earnest in October.  Already the fishing fleets had returned from Labrador when the Albert reached St. Johns, and the fishermen had brought with them the news of the Albert’s visit to The Labrador and the wonderful things Doctor Grenfell had done in the course of his summer’s cruise.  Praise of his magnificent work was on everybody’s lips.  The newspapers, always hungry for startling news, had published articles about it.  Doctor Grenfell was hailed as a benefactor.  All creeds and classes welcomed and praised him,—­fishermen, merchants, politicians.  Even the dignified Board of Trade had recorded its praise.

It was November when Grenfell arrived in St. Johns.  He immediately waited upon the government officials with the result that His Excellency, the Governor of the Colony, at once called a meeting in the Government House that Grenfell might present his plans for the future to the people.  All the great men of the Colony were there.  They listened with interest and were moved with enthusiasm.  Some fine things were said, and then with the unanimous vote of the meeting resolutions were passed in commendation of Doctor Grenfell’s summer’s work and expressing the desire that it might continue and grow in accordance with Doctor Grenfell’s plans.  The resolutions finally pledged the “co-operation of all classes of this community.”  Here was an assurance that the whole of the fine old Colony was behind him, and it made Grenfell happy.

But this was not all.  It is not the way of Newfoundland people to hold meetings and say fine things and pass high-sounding resolutions and then let the whole matter drop as though they felt they had done their duty.  Doctor Grenfell would need something more than fine words and pats on the back if he were to put his plans through successfully, though the fine words helped, too, with their encouragement.  He would need the help of men of responsibility who would work with him, and His Excellency, the Governor, recognizing this fact, appointed a committee composed of some of Newfoundland’s best men for this purpose.

Then it was that Mr. W. Baine Grieve arose and began to speak.  Mr. Grieve was a famous merchant of the Colony, and a member of the firm of Baine Johnston and Company, who owned a large trading station and stores at Battle Harbor, on an island near Cape Charles, at the southeastern extremity of Labrador.  He was a man of importance in St. Johns and a leader in the Colony.  As he spoke Grenfell suddenly realized that Mr. Grieve was presenting the Mission with a building at Battle Harbor which was to be fitted as a hospital and made ready for use the following summer.