It was the evening before Jack's confirmation and Tom's and Betty's wedding day. Up and down the paddock paced Tom and Jack, arm in arm, and Tom's heart was almost as full of the boy who gripped his arm as of the fair woman whom he would call wife on the morrow.  
"It will be a great day for us both, Jack," he said, giving expression to his thought.
 
"Yes, Uncle Tom."
 
"Your whole life may depend upon your decision."
 
"Yes, it's rather awful when you come to think of it."
 
"It would be if you did not feel sure that the hosts of God, that God Himself is behind you."
 
"Uncle Tom, I want to grow into just such a man as you."
 
"Ah no," said Tom quickly. "There is but one model for us all to copy, the man Christ Jesus."
 
Jack's heart was too full to answer.
 
"I do wish father could have got here in time," he said, wistfully.
 
"Aunt Betty thinks he will appear some time to-morrow, but she does not think it possible that he can arrive in time for the service."
 
"I heartily wish he could for all our sakes. Aunt Betty is almost as keen as you, for she longs to get a glimpse of him before I carry her off. We leave for Launceston in the afternoon."
 
"It would be just beastly if I did not know that I shall see you both in England in a few months' time; but now I shall have father, and going about with him all the time, I shan't be able to miss anyone very much. I wish girls didn't cry. Whenever I talk of going to England, Eva cries or blows her nose to prevent it! Men aren't made like that, are they? It would be horrid if they were! I always tell her to dry up, and perhaps some day, when I'm a man, I'll come out and marry her."
 
Tom laughed out loud; it was rather refreshing to find that the boy at his side, so manly in some ways, was still at heart as innocent as a child.
 
"But Eva might have found someone else to marry by that time," he suggested.
 
"Oh, of course if she did it would be all right, and she would not want me," said Jack, nonchalantly, in no way affected at the thought of the loss of his ladylove. "She has cheered up a bit since Aunt Betty has consented to her being bridesmaid, although she's not to be dressed up fine, just a new white frock and a white muslin hat, she says."
 
Then Aunt Betty's voice, ringing down the paddock, called them both in to supper.
 
The little church was full to overflowing on the morrow, for quick as had been the final choice of the wedding day the rumour of it had spread like fire through the township, and loving hands had been busy on the previous afternoon, decorating the tiny sanctuary with Madonna lilies and other white flowers for the double service. And all had been carried through so quickly and quietly that no one at the farm knew anything of it.
 
It was only a handful of candidates that were presented for Confirmation, not more than a score, but of those it may be said that the present Vicar had spent much time and prayer on their preparation. The candidates were ranged in the front seats, and quite at the back of the church was seated the party from the farm, with Clarissa and Eva, and the intervening benches were filled with neighbours from the township. The only one who had come from a distance was Jessie Butler, who hearing that her friend of earlier years was to be confirmed, and remembering his presence at her own confirmation, had come to stay a night or two with someone in Wallaroo on purpose to be present when Jack was confirmed.
 
The congregation rose simultaneously to its feet as the Bishop, preceded by the Vicar, appeared from the tiny vestry, and the service began with a hymn, during the singing of which the rather unusual so............