"It is quite evident that the captain has taken a great fancy to
Rodney," Mrs. Royal remarked, as she bent her head over some needlework
she had in her hands. "But are you not a little anxious, Daniel?"

"Anxious! About what?" the parson inquired, as he took his pipe from
his mouth and looked questioningly at his wife.

"Oh, about the influence he might exert upon our boy. Will it be for
his good, do you think?"

"Umph!" and the clergyman blew a cloud of smoke into the air. "Don't
let that worry you, Martha. No harm will come to Rodney from this
friendship. It will be just the opposite, I believe, and he will
influence the captain for good."

"But Captain Josh never comes to church, Daniel, so what will people
say?"

"Let them say, Martha. They will talk, anyway, and they might as well
have something to talk about. It will create a little diversion. No
doubt Miss Arabella Simpkins will consider it her bounden duty to come
right here, and express her views. And suppose the captain doesn't
come to church, is that any reason why a little boy should shun him?
It may be the means of making Captain Josh see things in a different
light. Perhaps the Lord has a hand in this, and who am I to interfere
with His plans? He has often used children to lead men back to Him,
and it may be that he is using Rodney now."

As the weeks and months passed, Captain Josh and Rod became firmer
friends than ever, and scarcely a day passed that they were not