the boys some
coffee and sandwiches. They are shoveling snow, you know."

"Oh, the high school lads, yes, I recollect," said Mr. Jordan. "I
meant to go around and see them at work, but I've spent the
afternoon in the library. Pretty faithful lads, aren't they, to
stick to their job in holiday week?"

Rosemary held an instant's swift debate with herself. Jack, she
knew, would hold his tongue. But Jack was not within hearing
distance and his scruples did not honestly affect her. She put down
the coffee can and began to speak. She told Mr. Jordan the whole
story, from the beginning when the Student Council had objected to
Jack's list of workers. She told about the streets assigned to the
boys. She mentioned the sleigh ride and told who had gone. She named
the six boys who had spent the day shoveling. The faster she talked,
the prettier and more earnest she looked and the more interested Mr.
Jordan seemed. Sarah listened dumbly, fascinated by her sister's
eloquence.

Mr. Jordan walked with them to their front steps and shook hands
with them both.

"I am extremely obliged to you," he told Rosemary as he lifted his
hat to go. "I find that I have been a little out of things and you
have set me right."

"Goodness knows what I've done," said Rosemary to Sarah as they
brushed their hair and made ready for the table. "Don't you say a
word to Jack--he will be furious. But I don't care what happens, I'm
glad I said what I did; this 'silence is golden' is a silly saying,
I think."

Late that night, when every one had gone to bed, the fire whistle
sounded. Rosemary raised up in bed, shivering with excitement. She
counted the strokes. One-two--one-two--one-two-three-four. Reaching
for her dressing gown at the foot of the bed, she seized it and
rushed for the door. Sarah's door opened at the same moment and the
two little figures met in the hall. They shouted together, rousing
the household.

"Plummers Lane!" they shrieked. "The fire's in Plummers Lane!"

CHAPTER XXII

SHOPPING WITH NINA

Shirley, half-awake and crying, came pattering out into the hall and
Winnie dashed from her room. On the second floor, Aunt Trudy
scuttled back and forth demanding where the fire was.

"Go to bed girls," ordered Doctor Hugh, who had just come in and was
fully dressed. "Go back to bed, and I'll tell you all about the fire
in the morning."

"Oh, Hugh, are you going? Wait for me, please?" cried Rosemary. "I
won't be a minute."