“As for his lessons, I wish to inform you all that Rodney has never neglected them, and you know as well as I do that he stands at the head of his class.  He studies his Catechism, as well, which is more than I can say of most of the boys in this parish.  I ought to know, as I have taught a class in the Sunday school for years.  We had one boy of our own, remember,” here her voice became low, “and in our mistaken zeal for his welfare we intended to make him a model of perfection.  Instead of studying him, we studied ourselves.  We never considered the nature of the child at all.  We looked upon him as mere clay in our hands, and we tried to mould him in our own way.  When, alas, it was too late we found that he had a will of his own, and when he became old enough he rebelled at our restrictions, and, oh, well, you know the rest.  Now, we do not intend to make the same mistake with Rodney.  He is a boy, with all the strange impulses of a boy’s restless nature.  What you have called evil in him, is merely childish enthusiasm.  He is bubbling over with energy.  It is our earnest desire to guide him along right channels, and not to break his will.  Whether we shall do that or not, remains to be seen.  Most of you women here are mothers, and know the responsibility of bringing up children.  I do not interfere with you, and I now ask you to be as considerate toward us.  I trust that henceforth all criticism will cease, especially at these meetings, where we are gathered together to carry on the Lord’s work.”

When Mrs. Royal finished there was intense silence, and for once garrulous tongues were still.  All felt that the rebuke was just, though it made them very angry.  They were greatly surprised at Mrs. Royal’s boldness, as they had never heard her speak in such a decided way before.  When at last they did find their voices, they talked of other things, and during the rest of the afternoon they never alluded to what the rector’s wife had said.  But when once away from the meeting some of the women gave their tongues free scope, especially Mrs. Harmon, who felt keenly what Mrs. Royal had said.

“I was never so mortified and offended in all my life,” she confided to Miss Arabella, as they walked along the road together.  “Just think of her talking that way, and she a clergyman’s wife, too.”

“Umph!” and Miss Arabella tilted her nose higher than ever, “she talked mighty big to-day, but she’ll find out her mistake sooner than she expects.  Just think what she said about that horrid old captain, who can’t speak a civil word to any one.  Why, he swears awful.  I heard him say ‘dang hang it’ one time, and a man who uses such language as that is not a fit companion for a little boy.”

Little did Captain Josh and Rod care what people said.  Though months had now passed into years, their friendship was as firm as ever.  Happy were they in each other’s company, and many were the trips they made up and down the river in the Roaring Bess.  The captain had sturgeon nets in a cove five miles away from his own shore.  Twice a day he visited these, and when Rod was on hand he went with him.  The boy was always interested in the big fish which were often caught, and when they were sometimes tethered in the shallow water near the Anchorage he felt sorry for the poor creatures.