"Seek ye _first_ the kingdom of heaven, and all these things shall be added unto you," was a text which he had often heard repeated; but he did not comprehend its meaning, and he had reversed the proposition, determined to look out for "all these things" first.
The village clock struck eleven, and the peal of the clear notes on the silent air cut short his meditations, and admonished him to quicken his pace, or Ben would reach the place of rendezvous before him. He entered the still shades of Pine Pleasant, but saw nothing of his confederate. Seating himself on the familiar rock in the river, he returned to his meditations.
He had hardly laid down his first proposition in solving the problem of his future success, before he was startled by the discovery of a bright light in the direction of the village. It was plainly a building on fire, and his first impulse was to rush to the meeting house and give the alarm; but prudence forbade. His business was with the great world and the future, not with Redfield and the present.
A few moments later the church bell pealed its startling notes, and he heard the cry of fire in the village. The building, whatever it was, had become a mass of fierce flames, which no human arm could stay.
While he was watching the exciting spectacle, he heard footsteps in the grove, and Ben Smart, out of breath and nearly exhausted, leaped upon the rock.
"I am, Ben," replied Harry. "Where is the fire?"
"We have no time to waste now," panted Ben, rousing himself anew. "We must be off at once."
Ben descended to the lower side of the rock, and hauled a small flat-bottomed boat out of the bushes that grew on the river's brink.
"Where is the fire, Ben?" persisted Harry.
"Never mind the fire now; jump into the boat, and let us be off."
Harry obeyed, and Ben pushed off from the rock.
"Where are you going?" asked Harry, not much pleased either with the imperative tone or the haughty reserve of his companion.
"Down the river. Take the paddle and steer her; the current will take her along fast enough. I am so tired I can't do a thing more."
Harry took the paddle and seated himself in the stern of the boat, while Ben, puffing and blowing like a locomotive, placed himself at the bow.