"But it's the Empire!" said Lorne, with a sort of shy
fire, when Mr Cruickshank enunciated this.
We need not, perhaps, dwell upon the significance of his
agreement. It was then not long since the maple leaf had
been stained brighter than ever, not without honour, to
maintain the word that fell from him. The three older
men looked at him kindly; John Murchison, rubbing his
chin as he considered the situation, slightly shook his
head. One took it that in his view the Empire was not so
readily envisaged.
"That has a strong bearing," Mr Cruickshank assented.
"It's the whole case--it seems to me," repeated young
Murchison.
"It should help to knit us up," said Dr Drummond. "I'll
put my name down on the first passenger list, if Knox
Church will let me off. See that you have special rates,"
he added, with a twinkle, "for ministers and missionaries."
"And only ten days to get him ready in," said Mrs Murchison.
"It will take some seeing to, I assure you; and I don't
know how it's to be done in the time. For once, Lorne,
I'll have to order you ready-made shirts, and you'll just
have to put up with it. Nothing else could possibly get
back from the wash."
"I'll put up with it, Mother."
They went into other details of Lorne's equipment while
Mrs Murchison's eye still wandered over the necessities
of his wardrobe.
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