little they had done
to lighten the good woman's labors.

"How about you, Mother?" said Doctor Hugh mischievously.

"I? Oh, I have learned to love Rainbow Hill," was Mrs. Willis'
response. "I could ask no more of any summer than these weeks have
given me--love and happiness and health. And to-morrow we're going
home!"

Rosemary smiled across the fire at her mother. She, too, liked to
think of going home.

"I only hope the smell of the paint will be out of the house," remarked
Winnie who could never, under any circumstances, be accused of being
sentimentally inclined.

"And the gas stove," went on Winnie dreamily. "If that Greggs has been
mixing messes on it and dropping his glue on the enamel, I'll give him
a piece of my mind. I left that kitchen like wax and it's my hope to
find it like that, but I have my doubts."

Doctor Hugh laughed and put back a brand that slipped from the glowing
embers.

"Ah, Winnie, you know you can hardly wait to get to the straightening
up part," he accused her. "You're already turning the rooms inside out
in your mind's eye for a grand cleaning. I had thought of getting
someone to come in and have it all in order for you and then I was
afraid you might not like it so I changed my mind."

"Hughie, if a strange person lays hand on a thing in that house," began
Winnie solemnly and then she stopped as she saw the smiling face.

"You ought to be ashamed of yourself to be teasing me," she scolded.

"Shirley's asleep and so is Winnie," said Doctor Hugh suddenly.

"I am not!" protested Shirley indignantly as usual.

"Eh?" Winnie jerked her eyes open with a start. "For mercy's sake, do
we have to stay out here all night?" she demanded crossly. "I can
stand a picnic supper, if I have to, but it's no picnic for me to have
to sleep out on damp grass."

Doctor Hugh laughingly declared that after that gentle hint there was
nothing to do but go in. He helped the boys cover the fire and stamp
out every vestige of an ember and then led the way to the house,
carrying Shirley and leading Sarah who pretended to be very wide-awake
but whose feet lagged unaccountably.

"I declare, I can't get used to having no dinner dishes to wash," said
Winnie when they had reached the porch. "I'm going in now and see if I
left the kitchen in good order."

She disappeared and Mrs. Willis took Shirley and Sarah up to bed, while
Doctor Hugh snapped on the reading light.

"I want to look over the