e three bears live around the corner," suggested Shirley,
beginning to regret her curiosity as they neared the turn.

"The Big Bear and the Middle Bear and the Little Bear?" said Rosemary.
"I wonder if they do? In a cunning little house, Shirley, with three
beds and three porridge bowls--wouldn't that be fun?"

Shirley pressed closer. She preferred to hear about the three bears,
rather than meet them face to face.

A few minutes' walk brought them to the curve and around it--and there
was a vegetable stand; almost a small market, with fruits and garden
produce attractively displayed and a number of boldly painted signs
announcing that fresh eggs and dressed poultry were for sale on
specified days of the week.

"Is it a store?" asked Shirley, much interested.

"It's like a store," Rosemary told her. "I remember Hugh was telling
Mother something about this plan the other night. He said that down on
the shore road he saw lots and lots of stands, when he spent his
summers at Seapoint. And he was wondering why some of the farmers
inland didn't do this--sell to people who have automobiles."

"Do people come and buy?" asked Shirley, staring at the tomatoes as
though she had never seen that homely vegetable before.

"Yes, they come out in their cars, from Bennington and further away, I
suppose," said Rosemary. "And they buy all this stuff fresh and take
it home with them. I wonder who takes care of the stand?"

A sharp, thin, freckled face rose slowly from behind the tiers of
baskets and a reedy voice announced, "I do--want to buy anything?"

Rosemary jumped. She had not known there was anyone near. Now she saw
the owner of the freckled face was a girl, a few years older than
herself.

"Do you take care of the stand?" Rosemary asked, smiling her friendly
smile.

The freckle-faced one nodded.

"That's my job summers," she confided. "Winters I'm studying. I'm
going to be a school teacher. What are you going to be?"

Rosemary pulled Shirley back from a contemplated investigation of a
basket of early pears.

"Why--I don't believe I know," she answered the question. "I've
thought of being a nurse--my brother Hugh is a doctor; or I might be a
music teacher."

"I'm going to teach school," the other girl declared again. "I'm going
to have some pretty dresses and go to the city every Saturday, if I
have a mind to. What's your name?"

"Rosemary Willis," Rosemary answered meekly. "This is my sister,
Sh