ng into a chair at
the dining-room table with visible reluctance. "I want to see the
horses and the cows and the pigs. Say, Hugh, do you think we could
keep pigs when we go home? There's room in the yard."

"You want to go to bed early and save your exploring until to-morrow,"
advised the doctor. "I have to be back at the house by eight and
that's bed-time for one little girl I know. Shirley looks sleepy now."

"I'm not," said Shirley automatically, her invariable remark whenever
the subject was mentioned.

Although the doctor had an appointment waiting him, he seemed to find
it hard to tear himself away from the pleasant picture the mother and
her three daughters made on the spacious side porch after supper that
night. Winnie had insisted on displaying her convenient kitchen and
though there was no gas range she declared that the oil stove would
fulfill all her requirements except for her weekly baking when she
would build a fire in the range. There Were electric lights throughout
the house; and the outbuildings, as they learned later, as well as the
tenant house, were also wired.

"Here comes somebody!" said Sarah in a loud whisper. "It's the
farmeress."

"No it isn't, it's two of them," asserted Shirley, pressing her small
nose against the wire screen and acquiring a plaid pattern on the tip.

"Hush--they'll hear you," said Mrs. Willis, rising and opening the
screen door as two young men came across the lawn.

"Mrs. Willis?" said the taller. "Mr. Hildreth sent us up to see if you
wanted any help, unpacking. This is Richard Gilbert," he introduced
his companion, "and I am Warren Baker. We're working for Mr. Hildreth
this summer."

Doctor Hugh came forward at once and while they were being introduced
the three girls studied the newcomers with interest. They were both
apparently about eighteen years old, both deeply tanned, both slim and
muscular and wholesome-looking. Richard Gilbert was slightly shorter
and heavier than Warren, who was really thin. The latter had dark hair
and gray eyes, while Richard's hair and eyes were brown. Both boys
were neatly, if not smartly, dressed and gave a pleasant impression of
cleanliness, coolness and comfort, though they had done a heavy day's
work and their day had started at five that morning. Rosemary
instantly decided that she liked them both.

So did the rest of the Willis family, and Doctor Hugh delayed his
departure till he declared that one more mom