to-day. But
still the old housekeeper sighed.

'My dear, I know the world,' she began.

'And I don't,' said Hazel. 'I am so glad! Never fear, Byo, for
to-day at least I have got Mr. Falkirk between me and
mischief. And there he is this minute, wanting his breakfast.'

But to judge by the housekeeper's face as she looked after her
young mistress down the stairs, that barrier was not quite all
that could be wished. However, if impenetrability were enough
for a barrier, Mr. Falkirk could have met any inquisitions
that morning.

He came to breakfast as usual; but this morning breakfast
simply meant business. He ate his toast and read his
newspaper. With the ending of breakfast came Rollo. And the
party presently issued forth into the woods which were to be
the scene of the day's work.

The woods of Chickaree were old and fine. For many years
undressed and neglected, they had come at last to a rather
rampant state of anarchy and misrule. Feebler, though perhaps
not less promising members were oppressed by the overtopping
growth of the stronger; there was an upstart crowd of young
wood; and the best intentioned trees were hurting each other's
efforts, because of want of room. It was a lovely wilderness
into which the party plunged, and the June morning sat in the
tops of the trees and laughed down at them. Human nature could
hardly help laughing back in return, so utterly joyous were
sun and sky, birds and insects and trees altogether. They went
first to the wilderness through which Rollo and Wych Hazel had
made their way on foot one morning; lying near to the house
and in the immediate region of its owner's going and coming.
Herein were great white oaks lifting their heads into greater
silver pines. Here were superb hemlocks threatened by a
usurping growth of young deciduous trees. There were dogwoods
throwing themselves across everything; and groups of maples
and beeches struggling with each other. As yet the wild growth
was in many instances beautiful; the damage it was doing was
beyond the reach of any but an experienced eye. Here and there
a cross in white chalk upon the trunk of a tree was to be
seen.

The three walked slowly down through this leafy wild till they
were lost in it.

'Now,' said Rollo to the little lady in brown, 'what do you
think ought to be done here?'

'I should like to make ways through al this, if I could. True
wildwood ways, I mean,--that one must look for and hardly find;
with here