“No,” said Brown, “it is not holidays at all.  It is a breaking up.”

“What’s the row, epidemic of measles or something?”

“I only wish it were,” said Brown; “small-pox would not be too bad.”  Brown’s good-natured face was smiling, but his tone told of gloom in his heart.

“What’s up, Brown?” asked French.

“I’m blue, I’m depressed, I’m in a funk.  It is my constitutional weakness that I cannot stand—­”

“Oh, let it go at that, Brown, and get on with the facts.  But come out into the light.  That’s the thing that makes me fear that something has really happened that you are moping here inside.  Nothing wrong in the home I hope, Brown; wife and baby well?” said French, his tone becoming more kind and gentle.

“No, not a thing, thank God! both fine and fit,” said Brown, as they walked out of the school and down the river path.  “My school has folded itself up, and, like the Arab, has stolen away.”

“Go on with your yarn.  What has struck your school?”

“A Polish priest, small and dark and dirty; he can’t help the first two, but with the Eagle River running through the country, he might avoid the last.”

“What is he up to?”

“I wish I knew.  He introduced himself by ordering, upon pain of hell fire, that no child attend my school; consequently, not a Galician child has shown up.”

“What are you going to do—­quit?”

“Quit?” shouted Brown, springing to his feet.

“I apologize,” said French hastily; “I ought to have known better.”

“No, I am not going to quit,” said Brown, recovering his quiet manner.  “If he wants the school, and will undertake to run it, why, I’ll give him the building and the outfit.”

“But,” said French, “isn’t that rather funking it?”

“Not a bit” said Brown emphatically.  “I am not sent here to proselytize.  My church is not in that business.  We are doing business, but we are in the business of making good citizens.  We tried to get the Government to establish schools among the Galicians.  The Government declined.  We took it up, and hence this school.  We tried to get Greek Catholic priests from Europe to look after the religion and morals of these people.  We absolutely failed to get a decent man to offer.  Remember, I say decent man.  We had offers, plenty of them, but we could not lay our hands on a single, clean, honest-minded man with the fear of God in his heart, and the desire to help these people.  So, as I say, we will give this man a fair chance, and if he makes good, I will back him up and say, ‘God bless you.’  But he won’t make good,” added Brown gloomily, “from the way he starts out.”

French waited, and Brown went on.  “He was called to marry a couple the other day, got hopelessly drunk, charged them ten dollars, and they are not sure whether they are married or not.  Last Sunday he drummed the people up to confession.  It was a long time since they had had a chance, and they were glad to come.  He charged them two dollars apiece, tried to make it five, but failed, and now he introduces himself to me by closing my school.  He may mean well, but his methods would bear improvement.  However, as I have said, we will give him a chance.”