They went to the prayer-meeting, and entered the room just as the exercises commenced. A good number were present, some of whose faces Ben recognized, though scarcely any one at first knew him. In the course of the evening he arose and spoke in a feeling way of his own experience, referred to his former recklessness in that village, and disclosed his purpose to become a minister of Christ. Before he sat down, most of those present recognized the once bad boy, and they were both surprised and delighted. Frank could hardly believe what he saw and heard. He never expected that Ben Drake would take such a stand as this; and he thought much, but said little.
Early the next morning, Frank ran over to inform Nat of the arrival of Ben, and the fact that he was going to make a minister.
"Going to be a minister!" exclaimed Nat. "I should like to know what can be found in him to make a minister of."
"Well, he is certainly in the school at Andover, preparing for college,--if he tells the truth,--and you have no idea how much improved he is."
"He is deceiving you, Frank. I have no confidence in the fellow. He always was bad, and he always will be."
"No; he is pious now. I went to the prayer-meeting with him last night, and he spoke. He spoke well, too, and alluded to his evil ways when he lived here, and expressed much regret at his course."
"I can scarcely believe it," replied Nat, "though I used to think that Ben would not be so bad if Sam was out of the way. What has become of Sam? There is not much danger of his becoming pious, I take it."
"Ben is not inclined to talk very freely about him, but from what we have learned, the family don't know where he is much of the time."
"Only eight or ten months. Mother says he appears well now, but she would rather wait to see how he holds out. She is afraid that his early vicious habits will be too strong for his present good purpose."
"Where is he now?" inquired Nat, becoming intensely interested in the case. "Is he not coming around to see us?"
"Yes; he will go about some to-day, and go home to-morrow."
Ben called upon many of his old acquaintances that day, so that they had an opportunity of seeing him, and all were as much surprised as Frank at the change in his appearance. His visit created quite a sensation in a circle of families, where he was particularly known in his early boyhood, and he was the occasion of many remarks after his departure. Hereafter we shall see what kind of a man he made.