"It must be Mr. Brown's," she said to herself, "for I do not know of any one else who has young ducks," and she took the frightened and suffering duck in her arms and carried it to Mr. Brown, but that gentleman looking down upon the little girl smilingly said, "See here, little one, what would you do with it if it were yours?"

"I'd try to make it well, and then I'd make a missionary duck of it."

"A missionary duck! What is that?"

Then Helen explained that a missionary hen was one the proceeds of which in eggs and chickens were set apart by the owner for missionary money and of course a missionary duck would be the same. Mr. Brown laughed. "Well, that is a funny idea. Suppose I give you a pair—that is, I will give you this one if you will cure it, and I will give you a mate to it and we will see how much money you make out of the investment."

Helen's eyes danced with pleasure. The wounded duck soon recovered, and before the end of summer she had quite a flock of young ducks which afforded her no end of enjoyment. True she had to watch them closely and look out for her mischievous brothers lest her flock come to harm, but she did not mind the trouble. Meantime there was a great interest growing up among the scholars in missionary enterprises. There were missionary hens and turkeys; missionary cabbages and turnips, and even missionary pigs. The months went by and Thanksgiving was near at hand. After considerable thinking as to the feasibility of the scheme, Miss Lee, the teacher in Number Five, proposed a plan by which some of the chickens and turkeys might be disposed of to good advantage. Willie Smith was the owner of a small printing press, and about two weeks before Thanksgiving twenty tickets bearing the words, "Thanksgiving dinner at two o'clock at the schoolhouse. Admit one," were put into the hands of two of the most energetic boys to be sold at forty cents each.

"There are a number of people in the neighborhood who will be glad to get a nice dinner and save themselves the hard work of getting it up," reasoned Miss Lee. "Mrs. Graves told me the other day that she should not try for anything extra this year on account of her lame wrist, and Miss Smith is so lonely since her brother went away, I am sure she will be glad to eat her dinner in good company."

Sure enough the twenty tickets were soon sold and more called for. Twenty more were sent out. "That is positively all we can accommodate," said Miss Lee. The dinner was a success. Four large turkeys, three ducks and a chicken pie or two were disposed of. Interested fathers and mothers had lent some slight assistance, but for the most part the work was done by Miss Lee and the scholars. The forty guests were well pleased with their dinner. The tired mothers were grateful in their hearts to Miss Lee for the thought which had given them a rest; surely it was to them a day of Thanksgiving.

At the end of the feast Mr. Brown arose and moved a vote of thanks to their entertainers, which being properly seconded and carried the gentleman continued, "I suppose it is well understood that we have been feasting upon missionary turkeys, and missionary hens, and missionary ducks as well as other good things to which the same adjective belongs. Now I trust that none of us suppose for one instant that we have given one cent to the mission cause by coming here to eat our dinner and paying a small sum for it. That is purely a business transaction; these young people have earned the money, and I congratulate them upon their enterprise. Now I understand that they have several turkeys and ducks as well as other things left over. And I wish to call out an expression from the friends here who have enjoyed their hospitality to-day. Shall we have our Christmas dinner prepared for us at the same place and under the same auspices? All in favor say 'aye.'"

Then such a shout as went up seemed almost to raise the roof. A little time was spent socially, during which Mr. Brown told the story of the lame duck, and added as he finished, "Our little Helen here gave me an idea and I do not know but I may as well tell you that I have a missionary cow nowadays!" Presently the diners-out went to their homes, leaving the young people to their dinner and their work of clearing up.