“But who’s going to ask her?” Phil enquired.  “Father’s going to the city on Wednesday, for I heard him say so this morning.  Maybe he would see her.”

“But we mustn’t let him know anything about it,” Rod warned.  “Why couldn’t you go with him, Phil?”

“I wouldn’t like to go alone,” was the reply.  “She’d scare me, and I wouldn’t know what to say.  I’ll go, for one, if dad’ll let me, and I guess he will.  Then, if you’ll come, too, Rod, I’ll go with you to see her.  You can do the talking, and I’ll back you up.”

“Mighty poor backing, I should say,” Joe Martin retorted, with a grin.  “Better take some one with more spunk, Rod.  I think you should go, though, as patrol-leader.”

“I guess Phil will do all right,” Rod replied.  “We could go to hear her sing, that’s if I can go.  I will find out about it and let you know.”

CHAPTER XVII

ANNA ROYANNA

Rod had no opportunity that evening of speaking to Parson Dan or Mrs. Royal about the wonderful singer.  There were visitors at the rectory for tea, and he was in bed before they left.  He thought very much about it, nevertheless, and in his sleep he dreamed that he was listening to Miss Royanna.  He could see her quite plainly, just as Whyn had described her, and he was so disappointed when he awoke and found himself in his own little room, and not in the Opera House with the singer before him.

“I was reading in the paper last night,” Parson Dan remarked, just after they had sat down to breakfast, “that a famous singer is coming to the city.  Her name is Anna Royanna, and she will be at the Opera House Wednesday night.  Wouldn’t you like to go, dear?” and he looked across the table at his wife.

“I’m afraid not,” was the reply.  “The Ladies’ Aid will meet here on that day, and so I could not possibly leave.  Why don’t you go, Daniel?  You are fond of good singing, and it is so seldom that you get away from the parish.”

“It is utterly out of the question, Martha,” the clergyman sadly returned.  “I have to bury old Mrs. Fisk at Stony Creek to-morrow afternoon.”

“Oh, I had forgotten about that, Daniel.  Isn’t it always the way when anything of special importance comes to the city?  You have never been able to attend.”

“It seems so.  But never mind, dear, we are going to take a long holiday next summer, and that will make up for much we have lost.”

“May I go, grandad?” Rod suddenly asked.

“Go where, Rodney?  With us next summer?”

“No, but to hear Miss Royanna.”

“You!” and the parson straightened himself up.  “Why, I didn’t know that you would care to go.”

“But I do, grandad.  Phil Dexter is going with his father to the city to-morrow, and why couldn’t I go along with them?  Phil and I could go to hear Miss Royanna ourselves if Mr. Dexter doesn’t want to go.  Oh, may I?”