lf that he should do this, but it pleased
him so much to do it, and it pleased her so much to have him do it, that
it was done as a thing which might be expected to happen naturally.

Sometimes she said he was giving her too much of his time, but he
scorned such an idea. He had nothing to do, for he did not believe that
he should buy a place for himself until spring, because he wanted to
pick out a spot to live in when the leaves were coming out instead of
when they were dropping off, and the best fun he knew of would be to
have command of a big crew, and to keep them at work building Mrs.
Cliff's dining-room.

"I should be glad to have you attend to the contracts," said Mrs. Cliff,
"and all I ask is, that while you don't waste anything,--for I think it
is a sin to waste money no matter how much you may have,--that you will
help me as much as you can to make me feel that I really am making use
of my income."

Burke agreed to do all this, always under her advice, of course, and
very soon he had his crew, and they were hard at work. He sent to
Harrington and employed an architect to make plans, and as soon as the
general basis of these was agreed upon, the building was put in charge
of a contractor, who, under Mr. Burke, began to collect material and
workmen from all available quarters.

"We've got to work sharp, for the new building must be moored alongside
Mrs. Cliff's house before the first snowstorm."

A lawyer of Plainton undertook the purchase of the land and, as the
payments were to be made in cash, and as there was no chaffering about
prices, this business was soon concluded.

As to the Barnard family, Mr. Burke himself undertook negotiations with
them. When he had told them of the handsome lot on another street, which
would be given them in exchange, and how he would gently slide their
house to the new location, and put it down on any part of the lot which
they might choose, and guaranteed that it should be moved so gently that
the clocks would not stop ticking, nor the tea or coffee spill out of
their cups, if they chose to take their meals on board during the
voyage; and as, furthermore, he promised a handsome sum to recompense
them for the necessity of leaving behind their well, which he could not
undertake to move, and for any minor inconveniences and losses, their
consent to the change of location was soon obtained.

Four days after this Burke started the Barnard house on its travels. As
soon as he h