“The missionary job, as you call it, is too big, certainly, for our present resources,” said the pastor.  “Everybody knows that.”

“Yes,” said Marty, who wondered if Mr. Drury had forgotten their compact about J.W., “but why limit ourselves to our present resources?  They are not all we could get, if the church came to believe in the bigness of her privilege.  I’d like to see for myself, as J.W. says, but I can’t.  Why don’t you get a real traveling job, and go about the world looking things over for us, old man?”

“Me?” J.W. said, sarcastically; “yes, that’s a likely prospect.  Just as I’m getting over being scared by a sample case.  I’ll do well to hold the job I’ve got.”

Alma didn’t know what Marty’s game was, but she played up to his suggestion.  “Why shouldn’t you go?” she asked.  “You’ve told us that Cummings hardware and tools are sold all over the world.  Doesn’t that mean salesmen?  And aren’t you a salesman?  They have to send somebody; why shouldn’t they pick on you some time?”

J.W. rose to the lure, for the moment all salesman.  “Nothing in it, Alma; no chance at all.  But I would like to show the world the civilizing values of good tools, and I’d go if I got the chance.”

Jeannette’s reaction was quicker than thinking; “Would you go half way around the world just for that?” she asked, with a hint of alarm.

“Why, yes, I would,” said J.W., “that is, if you were willing.”

Whereupon everybody laughed but Jeannette, whose pale cheeks flamed into sudden rosiness.

The minister came to her rescue.  “It would be a good thing every way, if more laymen would see the realities of Oriental life and bring back an impartial report.  Suppose you should be right, J.W., and we found that the Orient could wait until the western hemisphere had been thoroughly Christianized.  Think how many thousands—­perhaps millions—­of dollars could be directed into more productive channels.  I can see what a great influence such reports would have if they came from Christian laymen.  We have learned to expect stories of complete failure when the ordinary traveler comes back; and maybe the missionaries have their bias too.  But business men with Christian ideals—­that would be different.”

Now, all this was far from unpleasant to J.W.  He detested posing, but why wouldn’t it be worth something to have laymen report on missionary work?  Of course, though, if the time ever came when the firm was willing to trust him abroad, he wouldn’t have much chance to study missions.  Business would have to come first.  It was no less a dream for being an agreeable one.

“There’s no danger of my going,” he told them.  “The Cummings people are not sending cub salesmen to promote their big Asiatic trade.  What could they make by it?”

Then the talk drifted to the Carbrooks.  Marty said, “Well, we’ve spoiled your scheme a little, J.W., right here in Delafield.  Joe Carbrook and Marcia are in China by now, and I’d like to see both of ’em as they get down to work.  You can’t keep all our interest on this side of the Pacific so long as those two are on the other.”