ONE THING AT A TIME, AND THAT DONE WELL. 31 



CHAPTER VI. 



Mr. Meredith. ' c Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might. " 

 A Botanical Lecture. The Goat Moth. Blowing up a Tree. An 

 astonished Cow. Caterpillars in the Wood. 



ON the morrow, after morning service, the three boys (Dick 

 having been invited to spend the day with Frank) were walking 

 from church and talking upon the sermon which Mr. Meredith 

 had just preached to them. 



It was a beautiful morning one of those days on which it 

 is a treat to live. The sun shone from a sky which was brilliant 

 in its blue and white, the waters of the lake sparkled diamond- 

 like under the stirring influence of a warm westerly wind. The 

 scent of the honeysuckle and the roses in the cottage gardens 

 filled the air with pleasant incense, and from every tall tree-top 

 a thrush or blackbird sang his merriest. 



" That wasn't a bad motto which Meredith took for his text : 

 * Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might,' " said 

 Frank. 



" I think it is a motto you endeavour to carry out, Frank," 

 answered Jimmy. 



" Well, I think if a fellow does that he can't be far wrong/' 

 replied Frank ; " but here is the parson' him self." 



A tall, broad-shouldered man came quickly up and said to 

 them : 



" Well, boys, I hope you are applying my sermon to your- 

 selves." . 



" We should be glad to do so if we were quite sure about 

 the application, Mr. Meredith," replied Frank. 



" Ah, you young rascal, you could not have been attending; 

 but seriously, what I meant was this : You boys, and especially 

 Master Frank, are very prone to take up a thing with all your 

 might when once you begin. Now that is very right and 

 proper. Whatever you do you should do your best to do well ; 

 but what I want you particularly to understand is that before 

 taking up a thing, you should first of all think well and decide 



