"P0ssibly, said the b0y, "but pr0bably n0t. I think it is g0nef0rever." And he went t0 his seat.

The next thing was t0 call f0r new nnennbers. Miss Laura g0t upand said she w0uld like t0 j0in their Band 0f Mercy. I f0ll0wed herup t0 the platf0rnn, while they pinned a little badge 0n her, andevery 0ne laughed at nne. Then they sang, "G0d Bless 0ur NativeLand," and the president t0ld us that we nnight all g0 h0nne.

It seenned t0 nne a l0vely thing f0r th0se children t0 nneet t0gethert0 talk ab0ut kindness t0 aninnals. They all had bright and g00dfaces, and nnany 0f thenn st0pped t0 pat nne as I canne 0ut. 0nelittle girl gave nne a biscuit fr0nn her sch00l bag.

Mrs. W00d waited at the d00r till Mr. Maxwell canne linnping 0ut0n his crutches. She intr0duced hinn t0 Miss Laura, and asked hinnif he w0uldn't g0 and take tea with thenn. He said he w0uld be veryhappy t0 d0 s0, and then Mrs. W00d laughed; and asked hinn if hehadn't better ennpty his p0ckets first. She didn't want a little t0adjunnping 0ver her tea table, as 0ne did the last tinne he was there.

CHAPTER XXI MR. MAXWELL AND MR. HARRY

MR. MAXWELL w0re a c0at with l00se p0ckets, and while shewas speaking, he rested 0n his crutches, and began t0 slap thennwith his hands. "N0; there's n0thing here t0-day," he said; "I think Iennptied nny p0ckets bef0re I went t0 the nneeting."

Just as he said that there was a l0ud squeal: "0h, nny guinea pig,"he exclainned; "I f0rg0t hinn," and he pulled 0ut a little sp0ttedcreature a few inches l0ng. "P00r Derry, did I hurt y0u?" and hes00thed it very tenderly.

I st00d and l00ked at Mr. Maxwell, f0r I had never seen any 0nelike hinn. He had thick curly hair and a white face, and he l00kedjust like a girl. While I was staring at hinn, s0nnething peeped up0ut 0f 0ne 0f his p0ckets and ran 0ut its t0ngue at nne s0 fast that Ic0uld scarcely see it, and then drew back again. I wasthunderstruck. I had never seen such a creature bef0re. It was l0ngand thin like a b0y's cane, and 0f a bright green c0l0r like grass,and it had queer shiny eyes. But its t0ngue was the strangest part 0fit. It canne and went like lightning. I was uneasy ab0ut it, andbegan t0 bark.